


Frozen Hearts

by AnUnknownForeignBeauty



Category: Frozen (2013)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-22
Updated: 2014-09-22
Packaged: 2018-02-18 09:48:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 38,154
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2344016
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnUnknownForeignBeauty/pseuds/AnUnknownForeignBeauty
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dark! Modern AU! Elsa vows to protect Anna by any means after the death of their parents. So when an argument between the sisters involving Hans leads Anna to leave the house only to have an accident. She is rescued by Kristoff while Elsa mourns with the false news of her death. Hans plans to take advantage of an mourning Elsa....</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

****Chapter 1- Prologue** **

**Year 2007**

"May I come in, dear?"

Elsa stopped in the act of turning off the lights, and leaned back against the pillow, "I'm not asleep, papa."

"You look wonderful, dear." Her father, Mr. Adgar Kingsley exclaimed, moving towards his daughter, "I'm so proud of you."

"Thank you, papa." Elsa took the complement shyly, and then looked at her father. At the age of forty five, Mr. Adgar Kingsley was indeed a tall, dark, and charming man. His blinding personality kept his business of hotels across the world running like well oiled machines. He was confident too. But right now, he looked very uneasy, and hesitant. Elsa knew why, because he wanted to talk about her new mother.

"Elsa,…" He hesitantly took her hand in his, and sat down in the bed beside her, "You know that I am in love with her…" He stopped in the middle, and fixed his eyes on his daughter to see her reaction. "But you like her too, don't you?"

"Yes, I do." She nodded. Of course, she understood why he remarried. The death of her mother had had a great effect on her, and Mr. Kingsley really knew what to do to save his daughter from being engulfed by depression. He saw her moping around since his first wife's death, slowly becoming isolated from the society. So when he watched her becoming attached to his newest girlfriend, he didn't waste another moment.

"She seems really nice." Elsa said after a moment, letting her thoughts wondering in the world of adults, "And she loves me too. Is that the reason you hurried the marriage? Just for me?"

Mr. Kingsley blinked. He didn't expect such mature words from his fourteen years old daughter. He gazed into her eyes for a moment, then placed his finger under her chin and tilted her face upwards, "You're my first concern, dear. But that wasn't the entire reason. She wanted me for me. Not for my money. She didn't freak out when I told her about you."

"So all the other women you proposed turned you down just because of having me as their daughter?" Elsa remembered the reaction of other women her father introduced to her before her new mother. The death of her mother and her grandparents were considered as her fault, even she was so little when it happened. People were afraid of her. They considered her as a bad omen. Even sometimes she began to wonder if it was really her fault.

"They were superstitious, stupid people." Mr. Kingsley smiled affectionately, wondering about the mature mind of his daughter. "She doesn't believe any of this. She thinks you are amazing. But she was worried first because she thought that her daughter Anna wouldn't fit with you because she is a little wild."

Elsa entertained the thought of having another sibling. After years of growing up alone, she really wanted to have someone to talk to, someone to play with, and someone to share her girly secrets. And now the idea of having all of those things together really made her happy.

"Then she really loves you." Elsa declared at last.

Mr. Kingsley's smile widened, and his blue eyes lit up with affection, "Yes, she really does. And she loves you too."

Elsa had liked her new mother well enough when she met her earlier this day, but the tenderness in her father's eyes and the love in his voice when he talked of her, carried an enormous amount of additional weight with Elsa. "I like her a lot," she confessed.

A smile of relief dawned across his face. "I knew you would. She likes you, too. She said you're very sweet and very poised. And she likes when you call her mama. She says you and Anna look really good together."

"I asked Anna if I can call her mama. And she lets me." Elsa replied, thinking back over all the information her eleven- year-old stepsister had provided during their first day together. "I told her to call you papa." She added enthusiastically.

"Very clever, young lady she is." Mr. Kingsley ruffled Elsa's platinum blonde hair affectionately, "I guess you liked her a lot too."

"Yes, I did." Elsa big blue eyes practically glittered with joy with the memory of her new little sister, "She is different. She's… friendly and honest, and she says that people says that she is a little wild. People bully her, and but I think she is great. Oh, and she thinks  _you're_ practically a king," Elsa added with a grin.

"Then you two will go along together." Mr. Kingsley kissed his daughter's forehead.

"Oh, yes." Elsa beamed, "And I'm so glad that they moved in with us."

.

.

.

.

Across the hallway, Mrs. Idun Kingsley seated with her daughter Anna, who was fidgeting under her covers restlessly. "You know Elsa, she is so wonderful. And the things she does with ice, I can't but admire. It's too bad that people often call her a freak."

"Oh, dear." Mrs. Kingsley gently pushed her down to the bed, and pulled the blanket to her chin, "She is a little darling. I felt so bad for her when her dad told me about her. Always so lonely. It's a real hard way to grow up."

"Yes." The little girl agreed, shaking her tiny strawberry colored braids, "She thinks it is a curse. Her mother died when she was five, and her grandparents died when she was eight. Everyone considers her as a bad omen. But I told her that she isn't. Everything was an accident. Even I liked her idea of making an ice hotel. I think I've many other things to add to her idea."

"That's sound very nice, dear." Mrs. Kingsley smiled, watching her impatient daughter, "You can talk about your plans tomorrow.  
"But…" Anna pouted, "Elsa promised that I'll be the first to look at it."

Mrs. Kingsley marveled at the growing relationship between the girls. She cupped Anna's chin, and tilted her head upwards, "You like her, don't you?"

"Yes," Anna shook her head violently, "Too much. She told me that she likes me too."

Mrs. Kingsley smiled at her daughter's enthusiasm over her new sister, and then when she gazed at her face, another thought crossed her mind, "And… um… did she say anything about me?"

"What about you?" Anna asked with sham confusion.

"What does she think about me?"

"Let me think. Oh, yeah, I remember now! She said you looked mean and sneaky, and she said you'll probably make her stay home and scrub floors while I get to go to balls and dance with princes. I told her she was probably right, but that I'd ask you to let her wear the glass slipper as long as she didn't leave the house."

"Anna!—"

Laughing, Anna leaned forward and hugged her mother as she finally told the truth. "Elsa said you seemed very nice and she likes you. She told me that she grew up alone, until you stepped into her life. And she was very happy that you're not sacred of her."

"Does she really say that she likes me?"

Sobering, Anna nodded emphatically. "She asked me if she can call you mama. I told her that she could."

Mrs. Kingsley hugged her daughter close and laid her cheek on Anna's red hair. "Oh, now I've two daughters." Her voice turned raw with emotion, "Oh, Anna, how much I love that."

"I love to have another sister." Anna smiled, "And I'm so happy with her."

"I know that, darling." Mrs. Kingsley kissed her daughter's cheeks, "And I love you too."

.

.

.

.

The hallway was as black as pitch as Anna made her way across the hall toward Elsa's room. Her fingertips finally encountered the doorframe, and she raised her hand hesitantly to knock just as the door flew open, startling a muffled squeal from her. "I was just coming over to see if you were awake," Elsa whispered, backing up and beckoning Anna into her room.

"Is mama happy with me?" Elsa inspected the younger girl's face worriedly, "I heard her crying."

"Oh, yes." Anna let out a sigh, perching on Elsa's bed, beside her, marveling at the fine linens of her bed, and the elegancy of the older girl. "She was just so happy with you. She cried when she learned that you're going to call her mama." Anna saw a thin smile lacing Elsa's perfect rosy lips. She was so glad to have this girl as her sister. "So what about papa?"

"He thinks that you're a clever, smart young lady. He was all chocked up." Elsa looked down at her lap and drew a long breath, then lifted her eyes to Anna's, "I guess they were afraid that we're not going to like each other."

"That is pointless." Anna let out a high pitched giggle, "I already like your hair."

"And I like the way you smile." Elsa teased. "I've something for you." She opened the fridge, took out a few crystals of ice, arranged them on the floor, and made the pattern of Anna's name. From the corner of her eyes she watched Anna's jaw hanging open at the sight.

"What do you think?" Elsa eyed at her sister worriedly.

"I think." Anna grinned after a moment's silence, opening her hand. "I can give you something too."

There were a few eggs in her hands. "They are turtle eggs." Anna declared happily, "I saved them from an egg thief." She pointed at her sweatshirt reading the words,  _Save the turtles_ **.**  "But they died. They were never hatched." She looked at Elsa's face, waiting for her reaction. "What do you think?"

The two girls eyed one another in smiling silence, then, as if by mutual agreement, flopped onto their backs.

"I think," Elsa said after a moment's contemplation, "this could turn out to be really, really  _cool_!"

Anna nodded with absolute conviction. "Totally cool," she proclaimed.

For the first time in her life Elsa finally found someone to love, someone to live for, someone to protect from all the odds.

And she promised to do it.


	2. First Crush

**Chapter 2- First crush**

**Two months later**

"At first we're going to meet the principal, then you can choose your classes." Elsa instructed Anna on their way to the school. Their summer vacation ended yesterday, and now the girls were going to start their school. Everything was new and exciting for Anna, especially when she was going to start the high school for the first time.

"Are we going to meet a lot of boys?" Instead of listening to Elsa, Anna lowered her voice so they wouldn't be heard by their parents in the front seat. Mr. Kingsley seemed apparently busy in kissing his new wife.

"Umm…" Elsa lowered her eyes from the rearview mirror which was reflecting their parents' action, and said, "Yes, of course. There are lots of them."

"Really." Anna's blue eyes glittered with excitement, "So have you met one yet?"

Elsa bit her lips, trying to remember the attitude of her classmates to her. She always belonged to the loner group, used to hide in the libraries while everyone enjoyed the party. But it wasn't like that she had never noticed any boy, especially the one with auburn hair, and green eyes. Hans Westergard, the youngest heir of the Southern Isles chain of hotels, always made her heart beating faster. But he was too busy with his hoards of girlfriends, so there was no chance for her.

"Actually I am too busy to meet one." Elsa lied at last.

"Oh, really!" Anna rolled her eyes, punching Elsa's arm playfully, "Don't make me believe that. This year I'm going to be your matchmaker."

"I can see that already." Elsa smiled affectionately, ruffling her soft strawberry colored hair.

In the last two months, Elsa had already become Anna's best friend and champion. She helped Anna to choose her clothes, to fix her hair in different styles, and taught her the rules of the upper class society. Anna admired her, and was really grateful to have her as her sister. Though Elsa was socially awkward, but Anna always found her as a very delightful person.

Their car stopped in front of the school gate, and the girls kissed their parents goodbye.

Anna looked around her surrounding; this school was going to be a lot better than her previous one, especially when she had Elsa as her sister. She beamed, Elsa smiled in return, and together they walked inside holding hands.

A chorus of murmured laughter rose from their behind as they passed the corridor. Both Elsa and Anna turned to find a group of girls laughing right behind them.

"Look, Elsa got a friend!" A blonde girl shouted, before busting into a high pitched giggle.

"Another freak?" A brunette joined her. Anna threw a troubled look at her sister, who told her to remain calm. She gently took Anna's hand, and walked near the bunch of giggling girls.

"She is my sister." She gently introduced Anna to them. "Anna, they are my classmates." She looked at Anna, "Most of their fathers are papa's business partners."

Anna disliked them instantly.

"Oh, I see!" A blonde girl named Valarie raised her eyebrows sarcastically, "How does she become your sister? Is she an illegal child of your father?"

"Our parents got married two months ago." Elsa replied curtly, noticing Anna's uneasiness. They were always so jealous of their fortune.

"Step-sister then?" Another girl Hailey smiled, "How nice! Look, the freak got a step sister."

It was a perfect ammunition to shut Elsa up. The girls busted into laughter again. Anna was shocked to learn what an outcast her sister was in here. She felt a sharp pang of guilt when she saw the pained look in Elsa's face.

"How do you live with that freak?" Valarie Cooper whispered, eyeing Elsa, "We're classmates, but we can never go along with her."

Elsa cringed under their glares, but said nothing. Anna obviously sensed it, too, and tried to head them off, her voice sweet and persuasive. "She is not weird. You've never tried to get to know her."

"We tried to get to know her for the last eight years." Valarie declared with haughty finality, ignoring Elsa's pained expression completely, "But we can't. She is obviously a freak. The first thing good thing she did in the last eight years is to bring you here…"

"Anna," Elsa whispered, obviously hurt by their comments, "Umm… We better go to the principal's and…"

"No," Anna placed her hand on her arm, and said firmly, "Wait…"

"Don't talk about my sister like that." Anna told them stubbornly, "She is sweet and kind. I know her for two months."

" _Step-sister_ …Anna." Valarie put an extra emphasis on the word  _step-sister, "_ She is your  _step sister_. She is a witch. She will take away everything good from you."

Anna understood why Elsa despised these girls. They were so mean, and narrow minded. During her stay with the upper class people she gathered a lot of impression about the girls of her age. Among those observations was that the teenage girls whom she met were all crazy about boys and crazy about horses, and they were desperately eager to perfect their skills with both, in addition to their obsession with boys, they were totally obsessed with their looks, their clothes, and their status with their peers. Their personalities ranged from giddy to sulky, and although they could be charming, they were also demanding, conceited, and catty. "She isn't like that." Anna protested.

"Anna," Elsa pleaded, "There's no good to argue with them."

"No, Elsa." Anna assured her sister, "They must learn who you are."

Rest of the students in the corridor winced with empathy for Elsa, and sympathy for Anna who they were certain would buckle under the intense peer pressure, but poor little Anna didn't give an inch, even though her voice never lost its softness. "I'm really sorry you all feel that way," she said sincerely, directing her words toward Valarie, who was the leader of the disaster, "I guess, I never realized you'd be afraid of the competition if you gave her a chance."

"What competition?" Hailey asked, looking baffled but concerned.

"Competition with boys. I mean, Elsa is very pretty, and she's different, so naturally the boys are going to be hanging around her wherever she goes."

Hearing her declaration the whole group busted into laughter, "Boys? With her?" Nancy rolled her eyes, "Who on the earth is going to like Elsa? The ice king?"

Elsa turned red. Even Anna's words stopped for a second, remembering Elsa's reaction about boys. But she wasn't giving up. "Elsa already has a boyfriend back home, and she isn't interested in having another one here."

"What?" A strange silence fell among the girls, and they gave the sisters a puzzled look. "Who is her boyfriend?" Suddenly Valarie asked, her voice dipped sarcasm, "Do we know him?"

"I know him." the girls startled with a voice speaking from behind. Elsa turned to find a tall, auburn haired boy with bright green eyes, standing right behind them. "Hans!" she whispered, her heart had already began beating faster.

The sight of the most popular boy in the school effectively shut up rest of the girls, but Valarie wasn't giving up. She placed her hands on her hips, and demanded, "Who?"

"Elsa never talks about him, because his name is kind of odd." Hans gave Elsa a playful look. Elsa felt she was going to turn into a puddle of gratitude.

"How odd?" Valarie persisted.

"Very." Hans smiled, catching Elsa's eyes, "His name is Olaf. They met in the last winter."

"He likes warm hugs." Elsa chimed in.

"He is a very nice little guy." Hans muttered under his breath, and then turned to meet Elsa's eyes, "Now we better head for the class, shall we?"

"Yes," Elsa was still blushing, "Of course."

When Hans and Elsa left for the class, Anna strolled through the corridor startling Elsa. "Tell me something," she said with a conspiratorial grin. "Who is Olaf?"

Elsa nodded slowly. "My boyfriend."

"And Olaf is…"

"A snowman." Hans added from behind.

Elsa lowered her head and blushed, fortunately Anna didn't notice that. She raised her eyebrows and looked at the older boy, "How do you know?" she charged.

'Because, I met Olaf in the last winter at Elsa's house." Hans replied in an amused voice, "She was hugging it so much, which made me to think…."

"Don't think like that about my sister in future." Anna warned.

"Well…" Hans raised his eyebrows playfully, casting his inevitable charm. Anna tilted her head upwards to say something, and then her blue eyes met his green ones. She gaped like a fish for a second, as if she was trying to find her words, but she couldn't. A thousand of butterflies flattered in the pit of her stomach.

"Anna..." Elsa gently touched her sister's shoulder, which made her jump, "We must go."

"Oh, yes. Of course." Anna closed her mouth. Hans raised his eyebrows, and glanced at his wristwatch, "Yes, we must. Sofia is waiting for me."

"I see." The smile disappeared from Elsa's face, fortunately Anna didn't notice that. Sofia was Hans' steady girlfriend for the last two years. She was so beautiful with amazing personality, that Elsa knew that she stood no chance next to her.

"I wish to him again." Anna sighed, as Hans waved them goodbye.

Elsa moved her eyes from the handsome boy, and smiled at her sister, "Of course, you will, because his father is our papa's business partner. He taking part the annual racing competition in the next month."

"Really?" Anna's excitement returned, "We're going to see him again."

Elsa sensed that her sister fell head over heels for the boy. She couldn't blame her. Every girl had fallen for him once in their lives. Besides, she was never going to make an approach to him anyway.

"Umm…" Elsa rolled her eyes, hiding her sigh effectively, "But right now we need to see the principal first."

.

.

.

.

Meanwhile in the principal's office, Kristoff Bjorgman was collecting his transfer certificate. Today he was going to move in with his grandmother in Alaska. After living with his abusive step-father for the last ten years, moving in with Grandmother Bulda sounded pretty thrilling and refreshing. Besides he wasn't going to miss this place. He was the unnoticed one here, and he never had any friends.

Then he bumped into a girl on his way out of the principal's office. She was knocked down to the floor in an awkward position. He landed above her, and when he saw her face, the petite strawberry-blonde struck him as a refreshing exception. Everything about her was appealing and wholesome, and yet he sensed there was something about her that the other girls lacked. She had hair the color of the strawberry and a pair of startlingly large, long-lashed eyes—clear, luminous, mesmerizing blue eyes that regarded him, and the rest of her world, with genuine interest. They were expressive eyes, bright with honesty, and yet filled with a sweetness that made Kristoff to feel flattering butterflies in the pit of his stomach.

"Sorry." He murmured, as he quickly got back to his feet, brushing the dusts away from the second-hand shirt he got from the Sunday market.

"Are you alright?" The girl asked with a genuine concern in her voice.

"Umm…yes…" Kristoff mumbled; the butterflies in his stomach turned really bad.

"Oh, thank God." The girl sighed in relief. They continued to gaze into each other's eyes for a while until they were startled by another voice.

"Anna, what are you doing?" They turned to find Elsa Kingsley walking near the younger girl, with a concerned look in her face.

"Umm…nothing." Anna replied breaking their eye contact, then smiled sweetly at Kristoff, "I better dash. I've some formalities to do at the principal's office."

Kristoff watched her go. She was pretty opposite to the shy older Kingsley girl. Somehow he liked it. He heard her talking with Elsa on their way to the principal's office.

"What's she like?" Anna asked her sister.

"Who?"

"Sofia. Hans' girlfriend." She threw her a wistful look.

There was a long pause. And then Kristoff heard Elsa speaking in low voice, "Well, she is blonde, tall, and fair." Kristoff sensed the sadness in her voice. Hans was like a celebrity in the school. And he was a senior. Every girl had a crush on him.

"I wish to be tall." "Anna confessed with a sigh.

"Oh, no Anna…" Elsa giggled, "Don't have a crush on Hans. He and Sofia are going out for a while."

"Then I'm jealous of Sofia." Anna confessed honestly.

"Yeah, every girl is." Elsa added with a sigh.

Kristoff began to feel really sorry for Anna, who was building castles in the clouds. That guy was already taken. He was feeling sorry for her impending heartbreak, and he felt a strange urge to comfort her. But he knew he stood no chance with this ultrarich girl.

Moreover it was his last day here. Kristoff never imagined that he would ever regret over the idea of leaving this place.

But now he did.


	3. Accident

**Chapter 3- Accident**

_T_ _he_  riding ring was on a slight incline, thirty yards to the right of the stable. It was surrounded by a low, white fence and brightly lit now by huge, new mercury-vapor lights on high poles that shone almost as bright as daylight on the ring and simultaneously cast everything else into shadow. Boys from aristocratic families had already ridden their horses, and lined up behind the starting line. It was an annual competition arranged by the Businessmen's club of Florida. With the sound of the whistle from the referee the race began. From his vintage point, Mr. Kingsley could see his youngest daughter racing towards the fence with her new camera in her hand. She had taken photography as a hobby since she got a digital camera on her twelfth birthday. She was getting quite good in it. It had been two months since they started their new life in the Florida, and the couple took a hard task of socializing their children. It started with admitting Anna and Elsa to the most prestigious school of the state, and then introducing them to their social circle. It became a real hard task, because of Elsa's awkward social skills, and Anna's wild nature. Still the Kingsleys had passed three wonderful months together as a family, and their bond was only getting stronger and stronger with each passing day.

"Anna is getting accustomed to this." Mr. Kingsley smiled, while watching Anna nearing the fence, and adjusting the camera lens, "She is quite brilliant."

"Yes," His wife followed his gaze, and found Anna snapping pictures of an auburn haired boy who was riding a white horse, "But I think she has taken interest in a lot of boys. I heard about her stupid crushes from Elsa."

"Oh dear!" Mr. Kingsley let out a small sound of surprise, "Anna is only twelve. I guess she is very precocious."

"She will grow up, my dear husband." Mrs. Kingsley continued watching Anna jumping with excitement as the boy of her interest took the lead, "Don't be worried. They are just crushes. Girls don't fall in love when they are twelve."

"Well, I think if she does, that boy will get a good competition." Mr. Kingsley smiled affectionately to his wife, "She will wrap him around her little finger, just like you did to me." His tone changed from light to flirtatious, and his wife sensed his intention immediately, and leaned forward for a kiss.

"I don't worry about Anna much." Mrs. Kingsley said, "But I'm worried about Elsa. She will turn fifteen in a couple of months. But she doesn't take interest in any boy yet. What if she remains alone?"

Mr. Kingsley quickly broke the kiss and gave a sideways look at his eldest daughter. The book she was reading was now lying in her lap, and the wise father didn't miss the longing look in his daughter's eyes to the boy who was currently leading the race. He knew the boy well. He was the youngest of the thirteen sons of his business partner Mr. Westergard. It was the first time she had taken any interest in any boy.

"Anna will be there for her." He smiled finally kissing his worried wife. "They will always have each other."

.

.

.

.

Elsa had no idea how long she was watching the handsome boy with auburn hair and charming smile, but she guessed that she even forgot to blink for a while. Now he was directing his horse towards the gallery, and was blowing kisses towards the squealing girls. Their eyes met for a second, and he smiled; Elsa guessed that her heart stopped beating for a while.

"Isn't he too cute?" Anna announced to Elsa after returning from her private photo session. She dropped in the empty seat beside Elsa, and lowered her voice so they wouldn't be heard by their parents.

"Everyone looks cute to you Anna." Elsa smiled, taking the camera from Anna's hand and shuffling through the pictures she had taken. "This is ridiculous."

"What is ridiculous?" Anna sounded annoyed as she took a bite of her own pretzel. It snapped in two, half of it landing in Elsa's lap. Elsa's pretzels never broke when she bit into them. In the last two months these two previously lonely girls grew very close. Maybe it was due to their lack of experience with people, or maybe it was their differences that drew them together. While Anna became Elsa's link to the outside world, Elsa became Anna's moral compass. Anna worshiped her elder sister like a guiding star.

Elsa carefully brushed away the piece of food from her skirt, and continued shuffling through the pictures. "All the pictures you've taken contain only handsome boys. Is that Daniel? And oh, is he smiling here?" she pointed at the particular picture where Daniel was smiling, his pearly white teeth predominated others. "Gosh! His teeth are so big. It gives me quite a scare."

"Oh, that's…" Anna blushed, snatching the camera away from Elsa's hand, "That is….oh, Elsa!" She cried, still blushing heavily, "Haven't you ever fall for a guy? You don't have any friend. It is so unhealthy."

To answer her question she only lifted her eyes, and took a glance of the riding ring where girls swarmed around Hans like insects, then she quickly lowered her eyes and replied, "Probably not." She agreed, "I think I've a condition called PTSD…"

Anna wrinkled her brow. "What does PTSD means?"

"Nuts." Elsa paused in her explanation to rub her fingertips free of pretzel dust. "Crazy. Freak. Actually I don't know."

"You're not wacko!" Anna stated loyally and emphatically, taking another bite of her pretzel.

Elsa picked it up and handed it back to her. "It could be because I'm a bit short in social skills; I can't trust people easily, or talk to them. I talk with the ice statues I make instead of talking with real people. People consider me as a bad omen because my mom died when I was little and then my grandparents died a few years later. "

"That is not your fault." Anna persisted.

"But people think like that." Elsa added sadly, not looking into the eyes of her sister. "And bad things often happen in my presence."

Anna was dumbstruck at the sheer absurdity of such a notion.

"Where'd you hear that junk?"

"From the woman whom papa dated first after mama's death."

"What a jerk! She's supposed to help you, so she tells you all that stuff to scare you and make you think you're crazy?"

"No, she didn't tell me that. She told papa, and I eavesdropped."

"What did papa tell her?"

"He dumped her. Then two years later my grandparents died. I was with them when the accident happened. Both of them died in the spot while I remained miraculously uninjured. The next woman papa dated told him the same thing."

Anna digested that and then reverted to her earlier line of thinking. "When I kidded you about being so lonely, I was just trying to say that I think it's really amazing that we get along so great even though we're so different. I mean, sometimes I feel like you're better than me with people. I mean, sometimes I feel like a hopeless charity case who you've taken under your wing, even though I'll never be able to be like you. "

"Charity case!" Elsa sputtered. "But—but it isn't like that at all! I've learned lots of new stuff from you, and you have things that I wish I had."

"Name one," Anna said skeptically. "I know it's not my grades or my repeated crush on boys."

Elsa giggled so hard that tears began rolling down from her eyes; then she said very seriously, "You have an adventurous side that I don't have."

"One of my  _adventures_  will probably land me in jail before I'm eighteen."

"Then you'll not be alone!" Elsa said. "What I mean is, when you decide to do anything like that you've always someone to accompany you there."

"You'll go to jail with me!"

"No, I'll go there to bail you out."

Anna considered that for a long moment; then her eyes began to sparkle with mischief. "Well, if we want to start our unbreakable duo, we should start with them." She pointed at the riding ring where girls kept admiring the boys. The one who could catch the winner's jersey first, would get a chance to ride his horse with him.

When they approached near the crowd, Daniel was leading his horse to the resting place. Girls began cheering when he came closer, practically begging to kiss any of them. He smiled, and threw his jersey toward them. Anna, overexcited, leaned over, and caught the jersey. Behind her rest of the girls screamed with disappointment, but Anna proudly made her way through them and walked near Elsa who was waiting outside the crowd.

"See." Anna shook the jersey proudly, "I got it. Now I win a ride with Daniel."

"Him?" Elsa giggled, escaping a glance of the disappointed girls behind, "What got into you Anna? He isn't even one of your crushes."

"I know." Anna shook her head enthusiastically, "But it feels sexy."

"Anna!" Elsa glared at her playfully, sniffing the sweaty jersey. The scent of his sweat almost made her gag, "It smells real bad. It doesn't sound sexy to have a ride with this stinking boy."

"Does it?" Anna rolled her eyes, took the jersey from Elsa, and sniffed it, "Well…" She was gagged by the smell too, but kept the expression hidden, "Still it is sexy…"

Elsa watched the expression of her sister with a mischievous grin in her face, and rolled her eyes, "Actually I don't understand your definition of being sexy. I think he smells bad."

"Oh, he does." Anna giggled, but the next time her attention was caught by the auburn haired boy walking towards the fence, and the girls began screaming wildly.

"Look, it is Hans." Anna cheered, "Let's get his jersey before anyone else does."

"Oh, Anna." Elsa glared, trying to hide the blush that was creeping upwards to her fair cheeks, "What got into you? He has a girlfriend."

"Who cares?" Before Elsa could even react Anna grabbed her hand, and dragged her among the crowd. She noticed Valarie and Hailey among them, fighting each other to get the jersey first. Thousands of butterflies flattered in the pit of her stomach when she saw Hans riding towards the fence. He took off his jersey, and his well sculpted slender body looked absolutely gorgeous in the flashlight. Elsa blushed at the sight of the tiny light freckles all over his chest. He looked like a prince from fairy tales, riding a white horse, coming towards her.

'Let's win this ride." Anna whispered in her ears. Elsa nodded vigorously.  _Hans had a girlfriend._

"Please." Anna gave her the trademark puppy eyed look.

Elsa didn't know what made her to follow Anna to the crowd, whether Hans' glorious features or Anna's puppy eyed request, but she found herself among the squealing girls. Reluctantly she leaned over the fence, just when Hans threw his jersey in the air.

It landed in her hand.

The softness of the fabric sent tingles through her spine, the musky scent of his cologne trickled the pit of her stomach. Valarie was sighing disappointedly; Hailey was muttering something under her breath. But they ignored them completely, and walked into the clearing.

"What a ridiculous idea." Elsa looked over her shoulder, and caught a sight of the angry girls behind them. "Anna, you're crazy."

"You went up there with me."

"But I didn't want to. I was so scared my legs were shaking."

"But you did it anyway." Anna cheered, hugging Elsa tightly, "We're going to have a ride with Hans. Isn't it so exciting?"

"At least he smells good." Elsa threw the jersey at Anna so swiftly, and her aim was so good, that Anna didn't have time to duck. Laughing, she caught the fabric, and sniffed it, "I must agree with you, Elsa. He really does smell delicious."

"Sexy enough for you?" Elsa broke into laughter.

"Enough for me." Anna joined her, "But not sure about you…"

"Anna…" Elsa warned, and the girls collapsed in the middle of the clearing, shrieking with laughter. But soon they were interrupted by the sound of the whistle. It was the time for ladies' ride. They quickly got up from the ground, brushed the dirt off their skirts, and grinned at each other. Both of them knew that they were going to be the talk of the school tomorrow.

When they reached the riding ring, they found all others being paired up already. Of course the Kingsley sisters got jealous glares from their rivals, but the girls decided to ignore them happily. Anna kept pushing through the crowd, searching for Hans, dragging an unwilling Elsa with her. Elsa was clearly aware of her sister's persistent crush on the handsome boy, though she also developed crush on every single boy in her class. She almost let out a squeak when she spotted Hans in the middle of the riding ring, talking with one of his fellow riders.

"He is gorgeous." Anna whispered.

"Shut up, Anna." Elsa whispered, blushing.

Hans turned to find Elsa whispering to her overenthusiastic young sister, who was practically dragging her along with her. He handed Sitron to the stable boy, excused himself and walked near the girls.

"So are you my riders?" he asked.

"Oh, yes…yes…" Anna practically spurted the words in one breath, unable to maintain her manners anymore. "Me and Elsa." She said, gripping Elsa's wrist tightly so that she couldn't escape. She was blushing so heavily that Elsa could feel the heat radiating from her cheeks.

"Is she?" Hans raised his eyebrows, throwing a curious look at Elsa, "I didn't know that you ride." This time his question was directed to the other girl.

"No, I don't. Only Anna rides." she replied, and her soft voice was so very polite and adult that Hans bit back a smile. Elsa's amazing politeness always fascinated him. If not he had a steady girlfriend, Hans would probably ask Elsa out.

"Oh, no, don't believe her Hans." Anna informed him, "She is an excellent rider."

"I've not ridden since my grandparent's death." Elsa countered.

"That's great." Hans patted Sitron's back excitedly, "Come on girls. Let's ride."

Butterflies in her stomach became really bad with the thought of riding with Hans. Then she glanced at Anna who was watching Hans with a longing look in her eyes.

"You go, Anna." She stepped backwards, the familiar shyness was engulfing her again, "I'll just wait there…"

"No…" Anna protested firmly, holding Elsa's hand, "We'll ride together or won't ride at all…"

"But Anna…" Elsa persisted, "How can three of us ride one horse? The poor creature will buckle under our weight…"

"Elsa…"

Hans was immensely enjoying the playful interaction between the sisters. Both of them were so different. If Anna was the fire, Elsa was the ice. But it was the ice which intrigued him most. He laughed at the rare gesture of open affection between the sisters. But he decided to cut in.

"If you want, I can arrange another horse for you." He smiled, looking at Anna, who looked like that she was going to turn into a puddle of gratitude.

"Oh, yes…" she murmured, "Thanks for…" But she couldn't let the rest of her words out. Elsa gave him a grateful look and whispered, "I'll take the other horse."

"But…"

"Please."

'I honor your decision, Elsa." Hans gave her a gentle smile, and Elsa felt that her breath was caught in her throat for a second.

Elsa selected a black mare named Brigitte. She caught Anna's euphoric grin as Hans helped her to ride Sitron. She looked was happy, being so close to him. And together they began to follow Elsa's trail.

Elsa always loved riding. But riding with Hans…it was a dream. In many nights she dreamed herself riding with him, his arms around her waist…..She glanced over her shoulder to find Hans and Anna deeply engaged into some conversation. Her sister looked so happy. It was her happiness that she cared most. And she knew Anna loved being near Hans. She continued riding with a smug smile in her face.

They finished circling the ring, and Hans kissed Anna goodbye. Elsa dismounted her horse and searched for Anna. She expected to find a happy Anna, instead she found a sad Anna standing in a corner of the stable.

"What's wrong, Anna?" Elsa rushed near her, and hugged the crying girl immediately.

Anna said nothing, but let out a small whimper. In the bright glow of the mercury flood-lights, Elsa saw the tears at the corner of her blue eyes. "Anna." She cupped her chin and tilted her face upwards, "What's wrong?"

Anna turned her face away, her lower lip was trembling. Two tears rolled down from her big blue eyes.

"Anna…."

"I'm not Sofia." At last she busted into tears. Elsa followed Anna's eyes to find Hans outside the ring; his lips were locked into Sofia's in a deep passionate kiss. He was not the only one, but all other girls seemed be paired off . Maybe Anna managed to win a ride with the most popular boy in the school, but unfortunately she was the only one who was unable to find a date.

"I'm tired to hear how good she is. How well she rides, how nice she looked…" She chocked several times, "I'm really… really…jealous…"

"He told you that?" Elsa asked, cupping her sister's chin, and brushing her tears away. She was so much like a child sometimes…

"Yes…" Anna nodded.

"Do you want to learn how to ride?" She grinned. Anna raised her eyes; they were wide with surprise, "Will you teach me, Elsa?"

"Why not!" Elsa took her hand, and began leading her towards the stable.

.

.

.

.

From the gallery, Mr. and Mrs. Kingsley saw their daughters leading a black mare to the empty riding ring. Anna was watching her older sister carefully as she gave her the basic instructions about horse riding. She looked like an ice queen beside the dark mare, with her long silver hair glittering in the flashlight.

"Look, how beautiful they look together." Mr. Kingsley whispered softly, "My little princesses."

"I told you they will always have each other." Mrs. Kingsley smiled affectionately.

They turned again to find Elsa helping Anna to climb the mare, and then adjusting her feet in the footholds. Mrs. Kingsley sensed that Anna was having some trouble with riding the horse, because the horse was acting weird. She neighed in protest when Anna climbed her back.

"The horse is acting weird." Mrs. Kingsley threw a concerned look at her husband.

"Don't worry." Mr. Kingsley assured his wife, "My daughter is an excellent rider."

.

.

.

.

Elsa adjusted Anna's feet in the footholds, though the mare let out another annoyed neigh. Elsa leaned forward and patted the mare's neck to calm her down.

"I'm riding a horse for real!" Anna still couldn't believe her luck, and fortunately Elsa was such a good teacher.

"Oh, you are, Anna." Elsa patted the mare's back, and instructed, "Now hold the rein."

Like a good Anna followed Elsa's instruction, and took the rein. But then something unexpected happened. Instead of moving forward, the horse's body jerked violently, sending the rider reeling on the ground.

"Anna…" A sharp scream ripped Elsa throat, when she realized what just happened. The mare raced free leaving an unconscious Anna lying on the ground.

Mr. and Mrs. Kingsley screamed from the gallery.

And all Elsa could see blood.

A lot of blood. Dark, and sticky- pooling around Anna's head.


	4. Stages of guilt

**Chapter 4- Stages of guilt**

Doctors said Anna got a large blood clot inside her brain, and she was taken to surgery immediately. Elsa curled in a ball in a chair beside her parents in the hospital lobby. Mrs. Kingsley was crying hysterically, while Mr. Kingsley remained as silent as usual with his one arm draped over his wife's shoulder. Elsa remembered that look in her father's face- the same tearless, expressionless look which she saw in the night of her mama's death.

She couldn't remember that night much, she was only five years old. But she remembered the expressionless look in her papa's face and the hint of dried tears on his cheeks. He didn't cry when they allowed them to see the body. He only took little Elsa in his arms and held her tight. He didn't tell her anything. But she soon realized that her mama was never going to wake up again.

A strange wave of nausea hit the pit of her stomach. Slowly she stood up from her chair beside her, moved near the glass window, and stared at the pouring rain outside. It was almost two in the morning, but she couldn't even close her eyes for a moment- what if everything ended up like the night many years ago, when she and her father was sitting in a room like this, waiting for the doctors to come with the news of the death of her mother. What if…what if….

Oh, she couldn't think anymore.

Mrs. Kingsley rushed near the first surgeon who came out of the operation theater. The man was dressed in green scrubs, his face was covered with a green mask, and the way he shook his head to Mrs. Kingsley's query made Elsa to feel sick inside her stomach. Mrs. Kingsley broke into tears again; Elsa knew something was going really wrong behind those closed doors. The sickness kept growing as her eyes followed the surgeon moving near the scrubbing basin, and she noticed the red stains in front of his surgical gown.

Blood. Anna's blood.

Suddenly her knees felt very weak, and Elsa steadied herself leaning against the window. She didn't know whom to blame for everything, she had so many things in her mind. Anna was the best thing that happened in her life. Why did everything good her life never last for long?

Whose fault was it?

May be hers. Or why did her grandparents have to die together just two years after her mama's death?

Elsa certainly remembered the night after the funeral of her grandparents, and her papa smoking through the night breaking his own rules. She remembered the horrible sounds coming from her papa's bedroom. She didn't knock. Eight years old Elsa stayed awake all night long clutching her teddy. Alone _._

She was a bad omen. According to the woman her papa first dated bad things always happened in her presence.

She should never let Anna in her cursed life.

But she couldn't resist herself from being close to her new step-sister. After years of isolation and loneliness, she succumbed to Anna's overwhelming affection. At first, she was hesitant to meet her new sister after the marriage of their parents. But the moment that strawberry haired girl with twin braids stepped into her life, Elsa knew her life had turned upside down.

"I'm Anna." The younger girl smiled, stretching her hand forward to meet the older one. Elsa was so hesitant to take her hand. But Anna simply dropped into the empty seat beside her, and grabbed Elsa's hands from her lap. "We're going to be best friends. Aren't we?" Her smile was contagious, "And best friends have to stick together."

Elsa raised her blue eyes to meet hers. Her lower lip was trembling with the cry she was trying to resist. Oh, how much she yearned for a real companionship? "Really?" She whispered, unable to believe her ears. For the first time someone really offered herself to be her friend.

Unwillingly Elsa's gaze rested on her hands tucked in her laps. She could still feel Anna's first friendly squeeze when she told her about the death of her mother and grandparents. Her presence caused all the bad things happening around her. Her relatives believed that, her classmates believed that. And for the last fourteen years she believed that. But Anna never did.

"Don't believe them Elsa." Anna hugged her soothingly, "They are superstitious. You are wonderful."

Tears rolled down from her big blue eyes, she didn't even try to wipe them away. She didn't know what she would do if something bad happened to Anna. Anna was her only sister, only friend in the world. Elsa closed her eyes; memories of their time together began to flash in her mind like a film.

Those times….those wonderful times they spent together….

A smile crossed Elsa's lips when she remembered their first social outing together where both of them appeared in sweatshirts and pants instead of fancy party dresses. It was Anna's idea of course. Elsa was very worried about the reaction of the guests, but it was Anna's who taught her how to ignore them. Anna taught her how to overlook the critic eyes of people, and to eat ice-cream hiding under a table.

Whenever Anna came home crying with her poor grades, Elsa was always there to defend her from their parent's disappointed glares. It was Anna who arranged small party in the rooftop when Elsa was left alone during the lunch time.

Elsa knew how much they meant to each other. How Anna reacted when she saw the ice-miniature of herself in Elsa's fridge, or how Anna taught Elsa how to dance in the night before their first prom.

Those awkward moments strengthened the bond between them.

And those pillow fights…. Mrs. Kingsley's angry glares when both of them appeared from their rooms in the morning with feathers all over their hair….

How many pillows they destroyed in their months together? Elsa lost count. But she could surely count the days she hadn't had to see her therapist.

And in the three months Elsa certainly learned one thing.

Caring.

But caring was never an advantage.

People said that the horse went wild. But Elsa didn't blame the horse. She was young, and completely new to this environment. She was scared of the new rider. Being an expert rider, Elsa must have known that. She should never let Anna ride the horse.

But she was too much carried away with everything.

And now Anna was lying on an operating table, dying.

Now it left only one person she could hate- herself.

Suddenly, a huge clap of thunder scared Elsa half to death, and she jolted up to a sitting position, trying to catch her breath. She glanced over her shoulder to check over her parents, then the door of the operation theater busted open.

"Is there any family for Anna Kingsley?" Three of them were startled by the voice of a nurse. "Yes." Mr. Kingsley stepped forward, and the nurse shook her head towards an elderly doctor. "Dr. Troll wants to have a few words with you." Three of them turned to find an old doctor in green surgical gown; he moved forward to shake Mr. Kingsley's hand.

"Mr. Kingsley, I presume."

"Yes, I'm Anna's father." He shook back the old doctor's hand. Elsa moved closer to her mother, who clutched Elsa's shoulder to steady herself. Elsa couldn't understand half of the words the doctor was telling to her father, but one thing she could understand that her sister was still alive.

"It was a close call." Dr. Troll said to the anxious father, "She got a huge clot inside her brain. She was so lucky that she survived."

Elsa took a deep breath. So, Anna was alive. Oh, my God. She couldn't forgive herself if she died.

Elsa walked near her father, and took his hand. "Can we see her? She couldn't but interrupt the conversation; her voice was still thick from the cry she was holding back. Mr. Kingsley saw the anxious look in his elder daughter's eyes and asked. "Yes, can we visit her now?"

"Yes" The good doctor took a glance of the elder Kingsley girl, anxiously waiting for his next opinion, "She is in the recovery room."

Dr. Troll began to lead the small group of people to the room where Anna was held. "What are her chances?" Mr. Kingsley asked on their way to the recovery room.

Dr. Troll heaved his chest and expounded his honest thoughts. "She is awake, but her mind is still in pretty much fragile condition."

"My girl!" Mrs. Kingsley let out a sob, and Mr. Kingsley held his wife's shoulder to support her.

At last they reached the room where Anna was held. Standing in the door way, Elsa could see her little sister, lying pale in the hospital bed, and was connected to so many machines that she looked overwhelmed, and tinier than usual.

"Can we go inside?" Mr. Kingsley asked.

"Yes, of course." Dr. Troll shook his head, giving a careful glance to his patient, "Just be careful. Anything that reminds her of the accident can deteriorate her condition."

Mr. Kingsley thanked the doctor for his efforts, and the good doctor went on his way.

Three of them stood at the doorway, at loss for word. Elsa was gripping at the doorframe, trying to process the news. Mr. and Mrs. Kingsley were thinking of making it easier for their girl. Mrs. Kingsley broke the silence.

"You can see her later, Elsa, when she gets well." Her voice was affectionate and soothing.

Elsa knew that. "I understand, mama." She smiled, tilting her face to look into Mrs. Kingsley's eyes. "You two go inside. I'll wait here."

"Thanks, Elsa." Mrs. Kingsley patted Elsa's hand, before turning to the door, "It's just only a matter of a few days."

"I know, mama." Elsa assured her.

"But…" the strange calmness in Elsa's voice didn't escape Mr. Kingsley's ears. As Mrs. Kingsley walked inside Anna's cabin, Mr. Kingsley stopped near his elder daughter, cupped her chin, and tilted her face, so that he could look into her icy blue eyes, "Will you be alright, dear?"

Elsa could certainly read the fatherly concern in Mr. Kingsley's voice. She gently touched his fingers which were touching her chin, and smiled, "Anna needs you, papa."

A sigh escaped from Mr. Kingsley's throat. He certainly knew the depth of maturity of his older daughter in the situation like this. He knew how much stubborn she could be. But he also knew she would never be alright.

As both of her parents disappeared inside Anna's cabin, Elsa stood at the doorway for a long time. With all the bandages and machines, Anna looked so tiny and buried from the glass that separated Elsa from her. But she knew she was alive and that was enough for now.

A strange lump was beginning to form inside her throat; she didn't attempt to swallow it. Guilt overwhelmed her, and she wrapped her arms around her to steady her trembling body. What had she done? She couldn't protect Anna. Instead, she let her fall.

She took a deep breath, and closed her eyes. Old fear was returning again. Old thoughts were flooding her mind.

Everyone was right about her. She was a bad omen. Her presence would take everything good from Anna's life. Now she couldn't stand here and endanger Anna's life with her presence anymore.

Two drops of tears rolled down from her blue eyes.

Through the glass which separated her from Anna, Elsa took a glance of Anna's face, and ran.


	5. Closed doors

**Chapter 5- Closed doors**

Elsa watched as her luggage were being packed and loaded in the car. Mr. Kingsley stood beside his daughter taking care of all the necessary arrangements for her safe journey to Europe. His lips were pursed, his hands were clasped tightly together behind his back, and Elsa didn't actually know what was going on inside her father's head. When the last of her luggage was loaded, Mr. Kingsley turned and looked at his daughter, "Do you need anything else?"

Elsa gazed at her luggage. All of her things were packed, maybe even a few more. "No, Papa." She nodded, "I think, it is more than enough."

"Well." The sigh that escaped from her father's lips didn't escape Elsa's eyes. She looked away, and rubbed her eyes in her sleeve. "Maybe it is time to leave." He said.

"Yes," Elsa agreed as the driver opened the door for her. She was about to step into the car when she heard her mother's voice. She stopped and turned , only to find Mrs. Kingsley running towards her with a battered teddy in her arms.

"You've forgotten your teddy, darling." She said.

"Thanks, mama." Elsa took the teddy from her and looked away. Unwilling tears began to gather at the corner of her eyes. When she looked back, she found Mrs. Kingsley was watching her with the same tearful eyes. Elsa moved close to her and patted her hands gently. "Don't worry, mama. I'll be alright."

"Do you really have to go?" Her voice was thick from the cry she was trying to resist.

"But mama, I can't drop this opportunity." Elsa replied, keeping her voice casual, "Mama, it is one of the most prestigious scholarships in the world."

Mr. Kingsley had arranged a scholarship for her in the School of Arts and Business in Norway. It was one of the most prestigious scholarships in that field. The session would begin in a month, and she had to report soon.

"If it is your choice, I will not stop you Elsa." Mrs. Kingsley smiled, kneeling, and kissing her forehead gently. "But you can always find a way back home."

"No, mama." Elsa shook her head vigorously, "I have to go."

"Don't stop her, Idun." Mr. Kingsley said firmly to his wife, "She must be well educated. One day she will lead my Arendelle Company."

"But, Adgar…" Mrs. Kingsley protested, "There are many other schools in USA. She could study here. Why sending her away?"

"This is my decision." Her father declared firmly, "End of the topic."

It was a never ending argument between her parents. Elsa agreed with her father. She needed to be well educated if she wanted to keep up her papa's legacy. But was it the real reason at all? God knew how much she wanted to stay here- with her parents, with Anna. How much she wanted to see Anna smiling and knocking her door every morning? But she couldn't. It had been six months since Anna's accident, but she couldn't stop the old thoughts from returning; she couldn't prevent the old fear from consuming her mind. She was having those dreams again. She was standing in the same churchyard, surrounded by hundreds of headstones, each one bearing the name of her mother, and her grandparents…and….and….Anna.

It started from the night of Anna's accident when she ran away from the hospital. She let out a scream and fell in the backseat, startling the driver who gave her a concerned look. She swallowed hard, and closed her eyes, asked him to take her home.

She was having the same nightmare since then. And every night it was becoming worse. If she stayed here for any longer, Elsa feared that she would become insane. Though she never told anyone about her nightmares, but Mr. Kingsley sensed that there was something wrong with his daughter. He consulted with her therapist, and he told him what to do to prevent the relapse. And it was the best way to keep her away from the cause which was responsible for her relapse.

But was she truly relapsing?

Doctors assured them that Anna was lucky enough to survive without any complication after such a big trauma. Although she had no memory of the accident, because her brain had erased the memories of that traumatic event, but anything that reminded her of the accident might hinder her recovery. Elsa knew the truth well, she was present when the doctors briefed her parents.

And it was only way to keep her safe was to stay away from her.

"But can you wait for a moment?" Mrs. Kingsley asked hopefully. "Anna will be back in a minute."

Elsa gazed at her watch, and threw her father a troubled look. It was almost 3:30 pm. Only two hours left for the flight, plus there were other formalities to do at the immigration. That would be a matter of almost an hour. Anna was supposed to be here at 3:00 pm, but she hadn't returned from the school yet. God knew where she had been. She was becoming more and more outgoing day by day. She hardly stayed at home. Elsa almost forgot when they had an actual conversation since the accident. She guessed the last one they had was a long time ago, the night she went to visit Anna in the hospital. She didn't know even if it was counted as a conversation, because she was overridden with guilt, and Anna was delirious by drugs.

"Elsa…" That night she was startled by Anna's whisper. Anna tried to sit up, but this simple movement made her to wince in pain. Elsa almost panicked to see her little sister's agony.

"Are you pain, Anna?" Elsa quickly swallowed the growing panic inside her, and took her hand.

"No." She smiled innocently, offering her hand to hold. "I am not, as long as you hold my hand."

Guilt overtook Elsa's whole being as she tried to fight the cry rising in her throat. Anna had not much energy in her reserve to speak and this small activity drained almost all energy from her. So, she took the visitor's chair and held her hand in silence. Just then her nightmares returned. The pale lifeless face of her mother flashed in her mind. No she couldn't stay there, not anymore.

She let go Anna's hand, and ran. She never visited Anna in the hospital again.

"Ah, Idun." Mr. Kingsley chided his wife, "We are going to be late for the flight. And if your daughter has any commonsense…"

Elsa noticed that her father occasionally referred Anna as mama's daughter when he got angry. He got angry easily these days, especially since the day Elsa asked for a separate bedroom. She never missed his angry glares at his wife time to time when it involved either Elsa or Anna, especially Anna. She knew her father suspected his wife for her relapse. Possibly he thought that his wife was having negative influence on her.

"Adgar!" Mrs. Kingsley visibly cringed under his glare, "You know she has just gone back to school after the accident. She has a lot of things to catch up. Maybe she is busy…" She was making a weak attempt to defend her daughter's irresponsible behavior.

"But she is informed about the time of our departure." Mr. Kingsley sounded really annoyed now. It hurt Elsa to see her parents fighting like this. She couldn't but feel guilty for ruining their relationship. She tried hard to mend it. She was tried hard to prevent her relapse before coming to this point. But she couldn't.

She didn't want to burden her father with more worries; he had already too many things in his plate. So, she clutched her teddy close to her chest, and chewed the inner side of her lips, trying to find a way to control the situation. She moved close to her father, and took his hand, "Papa, we can wait for a while. We still have two more hours left."

She glanced at her mother and smiled sweetly, "Mama, don't worry. Anna will arrive in time."

"Nonsense." Mr. Kingsley muttered under his breath, but agreed with her. Elsa didn't know if her words convinced her father or he just gave up to her stubbornness, but she was relieved to see the anger gone from his eyes.

Fifteen minutes passed, but there was no sign of Anna yet. Mr. Kingsley kept checking his watch impatiently, while Mrs. Kingsley was trying to apologize for Anna's irresponsibility. Elsa wondered if Anna really wanted to see her off after her constant cold attitude towards her since her return home from the hospital. She greeted her coldly when she arrived home from the hospital. Elsa talked a very little with Anna- a few times when they met at the dining hall. Anna tried to talk with Elsa several times, but she it never progressed too far because of Elsa's constant silence and Anna's overwhelming tiredness. She simply walked in her room and shut the door in her face. From that day onward she never opened the door in her presence.

Not when Anna knocked her door after waking up from a terrible nightmare. "Elsa, please…" Anna's voice sounded almost like a cry from the other side of the door, "I'm afraid."

Elsa knew she was. But her own fears were more powerful than Anna's. She remained silent, waited for Anna to go away. In the morning, she often found her asleep in the darkened corridor. She looked so thin and vulnerable with all the white bandages around her tiny head. She didn't wake her up or called her in. Instead she closed the door again and remained awake for the rest of the night.

Anna arrived exactly fifteen more minutes later. But she was not alone. Hans accompanied her. A sharp pang of jealousy stabbed Elsa's mind. Yes, there was nothing between Anna and Hans. He only treated her as a good friend, and he admitted that to her many times. He begged her to make things up with Anna. But Elsa continued shutting her out, She treated her like dirt. She shouted at Anna whenever she came to dine with her. She threw away Anna's food, and stormed out of the canteen, leaving Anna sitting in her chair, alone. While she ate her lunch, Elsa stayed in the shadows, clutching her books close to her chest, trying to hold her shattered self. For the last six months she continued her acts in this way and Anna kept asking and asking for the reason. But she never gave any of them the answer.

Being a common friend with both sisters, Hans tried to solve the matter between them. But Elsa simply refused to talk with him.

And finally they were falling apart.

Anna was accepting their distance slowly, because she was avoiding her recently. But could Elsa do the same? There were still times when Elsa sat in the silence, thinking of their good old times. Elsa knew Anna did the same too, because she sometimes caught her staring at their photographs on the wall of their former bedroom.

Mrs. Kingsley sighed at their strange behavior, and she tried to talk with their girls. But she failed. Both of them were so stubborn, and became more and more stubborn day by day. Mrs. Kingsley cried, she didn't know the real reason. Mr. Kingsley sighed, because he couldn't bear to see his daughter relapsing like this.

And finally he came up with this solution- sending Elsa away. It would be good for both girls.

"You are late darling." Mr. Kingsley chided his daughter mildly as she joined rest of the family, "You know we are going to see off Elsa this evening."

"Sorry I'm late." Anna apologized sheepishly, and gazed at Hans, "Actually I was waiting for him. He wanted to see off Elsa too."

"That is very nice of you, dear." Mrs. Kingsley welcomed him.

"Yes," Hans curtsied gently. "I didn't know about Elsa's departure. I heard from Anna and decided to see her off." He eyed Elsa, "So where are you going?"

"To Norway." Elsa tried to smile, but failed miserably. An odd type of pain stabbed her heart. She didn't know what it was. "That's great." Hans stepped closer, took her hand and gazed into her eyes. There was something in his touch, that sent an unknown feeling through her body. She looked at their entwined hands for a moment, then gazed back into his eyes.

"I hope so." She pulled away her hand from his.

Fortunately Anna hadn't get any of these. "Are you packed already?" She was excited about her journey.

"And ready to go." Elsa replied with a wry smile, "We were waiting for you."

"Oh, yes, of course." Anna smiled broadly, and all of them climbed into the car. She didn't look sad, instead she was in her usual high spirit. She made an excellent recovery from the accident. In the last six months she had regained her previous weight. Her cheeks became fuller, her skin became brighter. She looked at Hans

With their parents and Hans in the front seat, Elsa and Anna took the backseat. It had been many months since they shared a ride like this. But this time they sat almost a foot apart, hardly talking with each other. Anna was playing games on the mobile, and Elsa turned her head to look out of the window. The city of Florida was beautiful in the late winter, covered with white snow. The trees were bare, so was the sky. But the winter was always followed by a colorful spring. Elsa knew she would miss this city dearly, just like she would miss her parents and Anna.

"Elsa," It was Anna who broke the silence between them. Elsa startled, and turned her gaze away from the window.

"Yes, Anna."

"Are you okay with if I ask Hans out on the Valentine 's Day?" Anna lowered her voice and whispered, so that she wouldn't be heard by the boy in the front seat.

So she was asking for her permission to date Hans? Did it bother her anymore? Hans was the only person who kept Anna's company when she shut her out. He kept the poor girl from drowning into depression .For the last six months she often found them together in the canteen during the break. He helped her to do her math homework. He also accompanied her to the dance class. Slowly she watched Hans taking her place in Anna's life.

Still she couldn't but feel a bit jealous . But she also aware about Anna's persistent crush on the older boy. And the way Hans was helping her in her absence, the poor girl could be easily deluded.

"Isn't he dating Sofia?" She eyed Hans in the front seat engaged in an animated conversation with her parents, and asked.

"They broke up soon after the riding competition." Anna replied happily, "Sofia was jealous. She blames him for letting us to ride with him."

"Oh!" Elsa sighed. It didn't bother her anymore. Nothing. She was leaving her past forever.

"If he is interested, you can try to approach him." She said at last.

"Thank you, Elsa." A wide grin crossed Anna's face, "I'm going to give him the biggest surprise of his life." She added gleefully.

Elsa expected a hug from her sister, but she didn't. Instead she turned her attention to the video game she was playing.

The airport was only half an hour drive from home. So they weren't too late for the flight. While Mr. Kingsley ordered his servants to unload the luggage, Mrs. Kingsley hugged her daughter. Her tears were soaking the sleeve of her shirt.

"Be safe." She kissed her cheeks.

"Take care." Mr. Kingsley hugged his daughter tight. Elsa could feel him shaking in her embrace. Although sending her away was his idea, but, she also knew that letting her go was hardest thing he had ever done in his life. So she hugged him back.

"I will, papa." She whispered.

Anna didn't hug her sister. She didn't cry. She didn't even say goodbye. She simply turned her back to her. It might be rude, but Elsa knew she was trying hard to resist the cry she was hiding. Then she turned to meet Hans. He was standing at a distance from her family. She smiled looking at him, "Goodbye then."

"Elsa…" He gripped her hand, and said "We need to talk."

Elsa was surprised, but followed him silently until they reached the secluded corner of the waiting room. Finally they stopped, and Hans released her hand.

"What…" Elsa became perfectly still as he stepped closer, and kissed her full on lips. Elsa felt her limbs weakening against her will as his lips desperately kissed hers. Elsa wanted to kiss him back, to hug him tight, but she kept her lips closed. Sliding her hands over his chest, she gently pushed him back. "No…"

"Elsa…" Hans looked hurt by her rejection. "Don't you like me, Elsa?"

How much Elsa wanted to say that she liked him, loved him from the moment she laid her eyes on him. She loved his handsome features, his wit, his intelligence and his kindness to Anna. But how could she forget the way Anna looked at him with stars in her eyes, her cheerful face when she told her about the plan to ask him out. How could she break Anna's dream? She had already taken away so much from her life- her sister. She couldn't take her first love away from her.

"No." She shook her head vigorously.

"But Elsa." Hans looked so heartbroken, "I broke up with Sofia because of you. I looked after Anna to get close to you. I never loved any girls I dated. I only dated them to gain courage to talk to you…I had a crush on you since the day I met you in the fifth grade." He gripped her wrists, and pulled her close to him. Elsa wanted to twist free but his fingers around her wrists were like iron manacles. He raised his green eyes to look into her blue ones. His voice sounded so pain when he spoke, "I know you always felt same about me. I know."

"No, you don't know. I waited a long time for you. But you're always so busy with dating girls one after another." Elsa cried, taking a step away from him, "I got over you."

"Oh." His hands slipped from her wrists,. "Do you have to go, Elsa?" He looked so sad.

Elsa blinked back her tears, "Yes." Then she clutched the handle of her trolley tightly and ran.

After finishing all the formalities at the immigration, Elsa was finally allowed to board the plane. The plane took off exactly three minutes later. She turned her gaze towards the window. It was getting dark outside, and there wasn't a light on anywhere Elsa could see. The only luminosity was the moon, and even that was barely noticeable, almost fully concealed by the dark clouds that blanketed the sky.

She slowly turned her eyes away from the window; her eyes were mirroring the sky outside.

Would she ever come back here? Or was it the final goodbye?

She didn't know.


	6. Love is an open door

**Chapter 6- Love is an open door**

**Seven years later**

**Year 2014**

The car stopped at the church gates. Anna got off the car alone. She remembered the last time she boarded that car with her parents; she was going to see them off at the airport. They were going to attend her cousin Rapunzel's wedding. Anna had to sit for her middle school final, so she couldn't go with them. She remembered how angry she was, and they promised to bring her gifts to tame her anger. Anna walked on to the lawn, near the lake where two tombs stood side by side. The graves of Adgar and Idun Kingsley.

It had been three years since she said them goodbye.

It had been three years since she was left all alone.

Was it only three years? No, there had been more. She was alone from the day the doors were shut in her face... She never knew why Elsa did this, or why she suddenly began to act so rude with her around her. But she knew she left her, deserted her in the middle of the sea of weird people. Valarie said that Elsa was ashamed to have Anna as her step-sister. Hailey said Elsa grew tired of Anna's witlessness and naivety. Anna never believed them. But as hours ticked by, their statements began to feel like truths.

Anna wondered if Elsa ever cared for her. Or the friendship they shared soon after their parents' marriage was just one of Elsa's temporary hobbies? Maybe she soon grew tired of her and began ignoring her. In the reality, all she cared about herself. All she wanted to be the perfect heir for their father's business. She secured a scholarship somewhere in Norway and flew away.

And then she found love. It was Hans Westergard who asked her to be his friend when she was spiraling into the bowels of depression. He broke up with his long term girlfriend Sofia soon after the riding competition. Anna heard in the air that it was Sofia who left him. She was angry with him for letting Anna ride with him instead of her. Anna really felt for him, because partly it was her fault. Soon they became friends, good ones. After Elsa's departure Hans became her only companion. Anna always had a crush on him, but after this, their relationship grew in a very short time. She could still remember the way they danced, his arms were around her waist, his breath tricking her cheeks.

They became such good friends and Anna was falling more and more for him.

But good things never lasted long in Anna's life. Three months after Elsa's departure he moved in to Denmark with his mother. He left her without saying goodbye.

People mocked her for her naivety. No one could be such a loser all the time.

She never trusted them. She emailed Elsa every month, and sent her the best pictures she captured. Everyday she checked her inbox, but there was no reply from Elsa. She emailed Hans asking how he was. But he also remained unresponsive. Anna remained perfectly happy as long as she remained out of the house, but again, when she returned home the similar emptiness of the huge Kingsley mansion came to engulf her. And also the memories…thousands of memories …and then she felt more and more lonely…

She heard that Elsa was doing well in her school in Norway, and Hans found his love back with Sofia.

Still she had her parents to hold her, to comfort her. They encouraged her to move on. They encouraged her to take more photography lessons. They arranged meetings with professional photographers for her. Anna grabbed the opportunity.

Then they died in a plane crush.

And Anna was left all alone.

She attended the funeral alone. She emailed Elsa for the last time, begging her to attend the funeral of their parents. Like all other times her email remained unanswered. She often wondered if Elsa really loved their parents. As the question of the next heir was roused, people began asking where Elsa was. She told them to wait.

Anna waited. For long three years. Their father's faithful business partners Mr. Kai and his young wife Gerda looked after the Arendelle Company for the last three years. But the hotel business was falling, and the employees longed for a real leader. The trusty board was pressing her to take Elsa's position in her absence.

Her phone buzzed to indicate a text message. There were several texts from the trusty board, asking for her final decision. Actually it was Duke Weselton, the head of the trusty board who seemed most eager to discuss topic. According to his opinion Arendelle was suffering without a real leader. They couldn't sign a new contract without a real president. Anna stared at the text for a while and threw the phone back into her purse. She wasn't made for this, didn't they know? It was Elsa's task.

Anna knelt down beside the twin graves, and laid the white flowers she brought for them. Snow of the mid winter settled upon her strawberry hair, a drop of tear rolled from her eyes. "Oh, papa." She sighed. "Tell me what I am goanna do now?"

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She didn't know how long she cried beside her parents' graves. When her tears finally ceased to fall, Anna stood up and wiped her face. She picked up her purse form the ground and turned to leave; then a voice said, "Wait…"

The voice sounded so familiar, that Anna stopped and turned. Through the tears that blurred her vision she could see a familiar figure coming towards her. He was clad in a formal white suit and trousers with a matching navy blue shirt and a burgundy tie. His hair was auburn with sideburns of same color, and his eyes were green. "Anna…" He smiled, taking another step closer.

The purse slipped from Anna's hand, landing on the ground with a soft thud.

"Hans Westergard…" She whispered, still not believing her eyes, "You…" She was about to faint, but he caught her before she hit the ground. "Glad I caught you." He continued smiling, "Oh, Anna you have not changed at all."

Anna didn't know what to say, she could only blink several times, still unable to close her mouth. "You…." She whispered.

The air was so heavy with tension. She couldn't still believe her eyes.

"I went to your house, but your secretary told that you are here." Hans grinned, looking amused with Anna's baffled expression, "I know I should call you first, but I wanted to surprise you."

Anna's hands were shaking, and various kind of emotions flooded her consciousness- love, hate, loss…she didn't know which one she was feeling right now. She was surprised that she didn't faint. After all the years of silence, after all the humiliation, he chose to come back now….

"Why now?" Her voice sounded like ice.

"Anna," Hans was taken aback by Anna's cold expression, but he quickly recovered, and took Anna's hands in a gesture of apology, "Let me explain…"

"No..." A cry ripped from Anna's throat, as she freed her hand from Hans' grip, "Don't even try it Hans." Her chest was rising and falling uncontrollably, her body was shaking as she was trying to fight back her tears, "I'm not the naïve girl you knew seven years ago..."

"Anna…" Hans was expecting something like this. So he moved near her to touch her shoulder, "I can tell you…."

"No." Anna brushed away Hans' hand from her shoulder; her eyes were blurry with tears. "Don't touch me."

Then she ran.

She locked herself in her room for the rest of the day, staring at the empty walls. Her parents were dead, her sister left her, and she had no idea what to do. She was so alone, so lonely in this merciless world. She buried her face in her pillows and cried.

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In the next few days Anna got numerous texts from Hans, and endless emails from the trusty board. Anna never read the texts or opened the emails. She deleted the texts from her phone and logged out from her email account. Her phone rang and rang, but Anna never answered the calls.

It turned into an everyday routine and Anna learned to live with it.

On the third week, suddenly all the texts from Hans stopped coming, so did the calls. First two days Anna ignored it, feeling relived by lack of them, but on the third day she began to wonder whatever happened to him, and on the fourth day she really began to worry. On the fifth day she got a voicemail from him.

_I am going back to Denmark. Before I leave this country, I've something to say to you._

An odd sense of emptiness filled her heart as she listened to the voicemail; an odd sense of guiltiness overtook her. Though she never wanted to admit, but in the reality she actually enjoyed his annoying texts, and she got worried when he stopped sending them. She admitted or not but she did care for Hans, and she missed him. If she looked into her heart, she probably loved him too.

Now she was losing him again.

No, it couldn't happen. She could hear his apology. At least he really wanted to apologize to her, unlike Elsa, who never bothered to her any explanation except shutting her out.

Anna found Hans sitting on a bench, waiting for her in the park. When he saw her, he only shook his head, and Anna took her seat beside him. It was a cool winter day, with a soft breeze coming from the lake, and both of them sat in silence. It was Anna who broke the silence.

"So tell me what makes you to return?"

"Sofia finally broke our engagement." Hans turned his eyes from the lake, and looked at Anna. "She eloped with my brother Henry. She was pregnant with his child."

His answer made her angry. She quickly got up from her seat, her face was red with anger, "So you came back to have me as your second choice." She took a step backwards, her voice was broken, "How can you imagine that I will love you back after all the years of silence.

"Anna…" Her reaction hurt him. But Anna wasn't listening. She turned and ran, shock and anger propelling her forward with unusual speed. But she couldn't outdistance him, because he caught her near the gate, and gripped her arms. "Anna," Hans pleaded, his green eyes were wide with pain and honesty, "It is not the reason I came back to you. I realized that I wronged you, and I want to apologize to you for all the hurt I caused you."

Anna looked at him in surprise. "Why should you, after all these years of silence?"

"I think I love you, Anna. All these years I can't stop thinking about you. I'm sorry for my silence." His voice was filled with passion. "I deluded myself in love with Sofia. But I was in such a condition that I was forced to do it."

"But why should I trust you?" Anna was fighting a strange impulse to run away again, before her twelve years old self overtook her. She tried to keep her voice steady; although she was afraid it shook a little when she spoke, "What are your reasons? Everyone, from Elsa to you shut me out, always. What I've ever done to deserve that? What? What?"

She broke into tears, and she didn't even try to hide it. "How can you think I can accept you again in my life? How?"

Hans released her arms, and let her cry. He didn't hug her or take her in his arms, he only touched her hands which were resting on the empty space between them and whispered, his voice was so honest, "Anna, you know I was sent to Denmark after my father's death. My mom was a Danish girl and they met during one of daddy's tours in Denmark. She was his fifth wife, and my twelve older step-brothers despised her. Especially Henry. His mother was daddy's fourth wife, and they divorced because of my mother. I was her only child, so they despised me too. My eldest brother sent me and mom back to Denmark. Mom became drug addict; I hardly had any money to come back or to contact you over telephone or email. All of my step-brothers pretended that I was invisible for all those years, and I had to work hard every weekends, and holidays to earn my food and education expenses in a foreign country."

Anna listened as Hans went on, and she was thinking. It was her own life story repeating to her. Both of them shared the same story- shut out by their siblings, living in loneliness, yearning for love. The truth was that she found his story more heartbreaking than hers. At least she had her parents to look after her, but Hans had no one. He made his way alone in this rude world. She had never felt this way about a man before, and it was an exhilarating experience. She told him about her life story, and both of them cried together for their painful pasts. She felt her heart fluttering in her ribcage when Hans took her hand and smiled, "I longed for true love. Then Sofia came back in my life. We got engaged. But the day before our marriage she eloped with Henry. I know your pain, Anna. I promise, I will never shut you out like Elsa."

Oh, my God! Anna's breath caught when he said those words. He is always the perfect gentleman, damn him. He never let anyone to see his sorrows. But Anna could see right through him- a sixteen years old boy yearning for love. And she fell in love with him over and over again. She didn't protested when Hans took her in his arms, and kissed her.

"Whatever happened to you, it was not right, and I'm going to try to correct that for you, Hans." She said. He smiled, kissing her once again.

So when Hans offered Anna to accompany him to a photography session in Kentucky, she couldn't resist. She boarded the next plane to Kentucky with him.

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It was an amazing experience. Hans Westergard was a well known figure in the world of photography, and Anna was amazed to see how good teacher he was. Beside him, Anna felt like an amateur. They went to the beautiful sites together, and snapped numerous photos, and Hans was always there with his innovative ideas about the photos. He had an excellent artistic eye too. He taught her, corrected her, and the more and more Anna saw him, she fell in love with him again and again. Hans arranged for Anna to appear at company picnics, at photography contests, and at dozens of social events, but she knew these appearances were expanding her fame as a rising photographer, and she felt more and more grateful to Hans.

Anna and Hans were having dinner at Cheznous, after Anna's first exclusive solo photography exhibition.

"You're getting famous Anna. You'll not need my help soon." Hans said teasingly, "Will you forget me then?"

But Anna took the matter seriously; she raised her eyes to look into his, "Do you think I'm really that selfish?" She sounded quite hurt. Her tone made Hans to look into her eyes; tears were about to spill from those big blue eyes. Oh God, why she had to be so naïve? Her naivety almost pained him sometimes. Hans took her hand, and patted it gently, "Oh, Anna I never mean it. I know who you are. And that's why I love you."

Anna raised her teary eyes to look into Hans' face. She sat there looking at him across the table, thinking, "He's the most wonderful man I have ever met. What I'd do without him." She wanted to take him in her arms and hold him, for the rest of her life.

Hans read her thought in her face, because he took her in his arms, and Anna buried her face in his chest. He buried his face in her luxuriant strawberry blonde hair, and inhaled, "I'll always be with you Anna, don't worry."

Anna knew that it wasn't an empty promise.

They kissed, then again at the restaurant gate, then again and again through their way to the hotel. As they approached near Anna's room in the hotel, Hans said hesitantly, "Anna, it's almost midnight. You seem tired. I better go to my room, and you better take some rest. There will be another exhibition tomorrow."

"No," she said, and the intensity of her voice surprised him. "I'm not tired."

Hans turned to look at her. "You want me to stay? Am I reading too much into that question?

"Yes," she said quietly. "I want you to stay tonight." Anna took a deep breath, "With me. Will you stay, Hans?"

Hans looked at her a long time. "Yes."

Afterward, she never knew who made the first move. All she remembered was that they were undressing each other and she was in his arms and there was a wild, feral haste in their lovemaking, and after that, a slow and easy melting, in a rhythm that was timeless and ecstatic. It was her first time. It was the most wonderful feeling Anna had ever experienced. They were together the whole night, and it was magical. Hans was insatiable, giving and demanding at the same time, and he went on forever. And Anna thought, "Oh, my God, I'm happy. I'm really happy at last."

The next day Hans took her to another exhibition. Anna had no idea that it was her second solo exhibition too. This time the critics appreciated her, and the people kept whispering around her, "Oh, it's Anna Kingsley. Have you seen the picture she shot for the paper last week?"

Hans smiled proudly at her, "That's my girl."

"What would I do without you Hans?' Anna thought, falling for him again and again.

Whenever Anna wasn't attending any exhibitions or snapping photos, she and Hans found some time to be together. They went riding in a horse-drawn carriage through Triangle Park, spent a Saturday afternoon at the Antique Market, ate chocolate fondue at A la Lucie. They went on white-water rafting on the Russell Fork River one Sunday, only to turn the boat over and returned to the hotel completely soaked. They made love afterwards in the hotel room, in the woods, in the back of Anna's car.

It didn't matter to Anna whatever she and Hans did or wherever they went, she was always with him. Slowly the pains of her past began fading, so did the memories of Elsa, and her heart was soaring higher and higher with the dream of a whole new life. Her life turned more colorful when he took her in his arms, and the world busted into pleasure when he kissed her. The world suddenly seemed brighter, more beautiful. Everything was touched with magic, and the magic was Hans Westergard.

On their third week in Kentucky, Anna received an email from Duke Weselton, the head of the trusty board, informing her that she must attend a meeting with The Southern Isles Company about a contract. Anna was afraid; so she went to him "Oh Hans, What I'm going to do?"

"What about Elsa?" He asked, "Why don't you ask her to do it? After all she is the heir."

"She never responds to any of my messages since she left for Norway." Anna replied. Hans fell silent for a moment, he looked worried.

After a few minutes of thinking he finally said, "Then, you better agree with them darling." He soothed her, "Duke Weselton is our oldest business partner. He always wishes well for you."

"But…" Anna hesitated.

"Oh, darling." Hans kissed her forehead, "You'll do great, and believe me. I'll be with you. I'll share your burden of duties."

She looked up and smiled for the first time. "Can I trust you, Hans?"

Hans took her hand and kissed her knuckles, "You can trust me, Anna."

His voice was reassuring, and Anna never felt so secure in her life before.

On their fourth week in Kentucky, Anna and Hans were hiking in the Breaks Interstate Park, enjoying the spectacular scenery that surrounded them.

"It is crazy. I've never been on this trail before," Anna said.

"I love being crazy." Hans smiled.

They were approaching a sharp curve in the path. As they rounded it, Anna stopped, stunned. In the middle of the path there was a human chain, made by seven small children, each carrying a placard: ANNA KINGSLEY, WILL YOU MARRY ME?

Anna's heart began to beat faster. She looked at Hans, speechless.

But he was already on his knees. "It is crazy, I know. But will you marry me, Anna?"

"Can I say something even crazier?" She hugged him tightly and whispered, "Yes."

That night Anna typed the 1001st email to Elsa.

_If you ever loved me, come to my wedding._


	7. Reunion

**Chapter 7- Reunion**

_Rising from the grave._

It was the first thought occurred in Elsa Kingsley's mind when she got off the plane alone. She collected her luggage as the immigration cleared her off, and walked through the glass revolving door.

Returning home…. After so many years, it really felt so strange.

She promised to stay away from her family for the sake of her own sanity. Even she never visited them in the last seven years. Mrs. Kingsley, her step-mother cried, phoned her every week requesting her to come back. She said that she missed her, Anna missed emailed her every month. She never wrote anything. She only sent pictures- pictures of their parents, pictures of their old room, pictures of Anna smiling or their family sunbathing together in the beach.

They looked so happy, but Elsa knew they were not. They missed her; she could see that in their faces, in their deleted the pictures from her computer before emotion could overtake her determination.

Elsa missed them too. Her nightmares came back to haunt her often. She stayed awake for many nights, wrapping her arms around her knees. She talked with her father over telephone, she told him about her fears. Mr. Kingsley, her father told her to be strong. And she did.

She tried to become the good girl her father wanted her to be. She gave more attention to her studies and degrees. She began to spend most of her times in libraries or galleries. She avoided getting involved with people. Slowly she learned to forget the memories that tormented her; she found a new life in loneliness.

After the death of her parents, she packed her luggage to attend their funeral. But that night she was back in the old churchyard in her dreams surrounded by graves of her family. She threw away the plane ticket and cried.

She didn't respond the trusty board's inquiry about being the next president of the Arendelle Company.

After getting Anna's email, she spent many sleepless nights thinking about it. She visited her therapist at least a hundred times, argued with him, and she lost the count of times when she stopped herself from replying Anna's email.

Then another thought occupied her mind. Another nightmare began haunting her dreams. Another fear. A new one.

She brought nothing but sorrow to her parents. They died crying for her, begging for her return. What if same thing happened to Anna? She couldn't even imagine Anna's tearful eyes on her wedding day. Elsa sat in her bed in her little apartment in Norway, and wrapped her arms around herself, moving back and forth…back and forth…

Then one night, she didn't know why, she fetched her small travelling case and boarded the next plane to USA.

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Standing in the waiting room, Elsa looked about her surroundings. Things changed so much in the last seven years. What about Anna? What if she changed too? What if her return made her angry? Elsa was fighting a strange urge to run away unnoticed, then suddenly a voice from behind made her stop.

"Elsa!"

"Anna!" She recognized the voice instantly.

Swallowing the growing panic inside her, Elsa turned. She spotted Anna among the crowd in the lobby, waving at her. Anna pushed through the crowd, and walked near her sister.

"Hi." She greeted.

"Hi." Elsa greeted back hesitantly, gazing at her. She had grown quite tall in the last few years. She was no more the flat-chested teenager she remembered; instead she had grown into a true woman. Her curves became perfect and her messy strawberry hair became long and shiny. Now they were neatly arranged in twin braids. But her face didn't lose the innocence of the eleven years old girl she remembered. She had no idea what to say, neither had Anna. So the sisters stood in silence, gazing at each other.

Elsa was fighting a strong impulse to hug her sister, but strangely she remained standing where she was. Even Anna didn't make any move, possibly because she was too confused carry on the conversation.

"How are you, Anna?" At last, it was Elsa who broke the silence first.

The question startled Anna. Possibly she had never expected such question from her. After years of shutting her out, this question about her wellbeing was enough to surprise her. "Fine." She replied curtly, "How about you?"

Guilt overtook Elsa's whole being as she read the pain in her sister's eyes. She wanted to hold her hand and ask for her forgiveness. But now, it was too late. There was so much tension between them that Elsa could hardly breathe. She tried to fight the cry rising in her throat, as she spoke again avoiding Anna's eyes, "I'm fine."

She was so tired, so tired to bear the burden of guilt, that Elsa felt that she was going to faint. Possibly Anna understood that too, because she moved close to her, and touched her shoulder. Elsa was fighting a strong impulse to hug her, but she kept on her cold facade. Elsa was afraid that Anna would hug her, but she didn't. Years of distance didn't let her to do that.

Instead she gazed into her eyes for a while, and smiled. "Let's go home."

"Yes." Elsa agreed too.

Anna led her to the private car waiting for them outside the airport. Anna took the driver's seat. She looked so confident when she turned the key and the engine roared into life.

The sisters didn't exchange a single word while Anna drove car along the busy roads of the city of Florida. Elsa noticed an old photo lying on the backseat. Possibly it laid here forgotten for days, because dust gathered on it, giving it a slight yellowish hue. Hesitantly, she picked it up, and blew away the dust. It was an old photo taken during their first trip to Miami Beach. Both Anna and Elsa were wearing swimming costumes, and Anna was kissing Elsa's cheek. The memory was so tender that it brought a smile to Elsa's lips.

But it was so long ago. Elsa turned her gaze to Anna in the front seat. Things changed so much between them. Elsa held the photo close to her chest and closed her eyes. She wished go back to the old times, and set everything right. But she couldn't.

The car stopped with a jerk, bringing Elsa back to the reality.

"We are home." Anna announced, flinging open the car door. Elsa followed her to the gates. The Kingsley mansion, her childhood home, looked exactly like the day she left- big and polished, except the little garden in the front. It was full of roses, marigolds and other seasonal flowers. It was so vibrant with colors that made Elsa stop.

"It is beautiful." Elsa smiled, looking at Anna. Anna stared at her sister for a second, unable to believe that she was actually complementing her.

"Thank you." Anna smiled back hesitantly, and then fell silent, unable to decide what to say next. Both of them stood in the silence gazing at each other. Elsa eyed Anna, she had so many things in her mind to tell her, so many things to ask, but she couldn't. The wall of distance was so thick that none of them dared to break it.

"Let's go inside." This time it was Anna who broke the silence, noticing the tired look in Elsa's face, "You need rest."

There was too much tension in the air, and Elsa was happy that Anna ignored it. She picked up the luggage and agreed, "I also think so, Anna."

The girls were greeted by a new maid. Ignoring her curious glance, they walked near the staircase leading to the second floor. "You better take rest, Elsa." Anna said, before handing Elsa's luggage to a servant, "Marvin will show you your room."

Elsa was amazed with her sister's sense of responsibility. How much Elsa wanted to hold her, and kiss her cheeks like old times, and cheer her up.

"Thank you, Anna." Instead, she curtsied, and turned to follow the servant upstairs.

The servant led her to the familiar room in the second floor. "This is your room." He informed, "Miss Anna told us to prepare it before you come home." Then he put down the luggage and left.

The bedroom was furnished in antiques, including a graceful painted armoire and a canopy bed upholstered in blue chintz. Against the opposite wall was a writing desk, where she did her homework. Everything looked as the way it did ten years ago, not even a paper or pen was out of place. She put down her travel bag on the bed, and went into her old closet. She took off her blue cotton sweater, folded it neatly, and placed it on an empty shelf amid dozens of other identically folded sweaters that were all displayed and divided according to color hue. Of course they were much smaller than her current ones; she had grown a lot in the last seven years. Automatically she ran her fingers though the old piles of wool. They felt a bit brittle and soft due to years of uselessness, yet it felt like home again. Memories flooded her brain as she touched the worn out sweaters. Here it was- the red one, the one she wore on her first day at the school….then the purple one, which Anna gifted her on her fifteenth birthday… and the white one, mama knitted it for her before she left for Europe. All those days, all those beautiful days now felt like nothing but a beautiful dream.

But she couldn't think about anything anymore. She was tired, really tired. She tossed away her shirt and shoes, collapsed into the warmth of her old bed, and sleep consumed her almost immediately.

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Elsa didn't know how long she slept. When she finally opened her eyes, it was almost dark outside. Evening tea was served at her bedside table. Yawning, she took the cup, sipped the tea, and fell back to the pillows. Her head was aching from the journey and tension, and now drinking tea was really refreshing. Elsa closed her eyes and drained the cup. The caffeine eased the headache a bit. It felt really so strange, back in her old room, sleeping in her old bed. It felt very much unreal. Taking a deep breath, Elsa slipped from the bed, and stepped out of her bedroom. For a large house, the number of the inhabitants of the Kingsley Mansion was surprisingly low. Everyone was busy with their respective jobs. So now only silence was the permanent occupant of this house.

Third corridor to the left led straight to Anna's bedroom. The door was open, but she was nowhere in sight. The door to her bathroom was closed, however, and Elsa hesitantly picked her way toward it through the jungle of clothing, shoes, scarves, photo albums, camera equipment, and miscellaneous debris that covered every surface of the room. A fond smile laced her lips as she walked inside. Still so messy.

Elsa gingerly picked up the clothes lying on the floor. There were piles of them. Elsa sorted the used ones from the washed ones and began folding them neatly on Anna's bed. She used to do it when they were young. Anna loved the way Elsa arranged her things. Would she like this now?

She was startled by a sudden click of the bathroom door behind her. "This is horrible." Anna said, emerging from the bathroom with a wet towel around her head. Elsa quickly placed the clothes back on the bedside table and turned to leave.

"God I'm going to be late. Hans is going to kill me." Anna ran to the mirror over her dresser, and waved at the second person in her room, "Hey, hey, will you help me with my hair? It is getting horrible. You know Hans will…."

Elsa stopped. Did Anna just ask for her help? She turned and faced her sister. It had to be a mistake. "Are you asking me, Anna?" She asked, still confused.

Anna's face fell immediately as she realized her mistake. "I thought you were…" she stopped in the mid-sentence. Elsa could feel the hesitancy in her voice. She gazed at Anna. She just had had her shower, and water was still dipping from the end of her wet hair. She wanted to sit beside her and arrange her hair in twin braids like she used to do.

But the door was closed between them long ago.

"It is alright, Anna…" Elsa nodded, "I don't mind…."

Anna gazed at her newly tidied room, and then gazed back to her sister. It felt so unreal, she and Elsa standing together again, face to face. She wanted to run near her, to wrap her arms around her neck and tell her not to leave. Instead, she simply smiled, and shook her head, "Thank you."

Anna returned to the dresser and Elsa turned to the door. She glanced back at her sister; she was straggling with her hair in front of the mirror. Anna was always clumsy when it came to fashion, and Elsa knew it was going to be a bad hair day for Anna. Elsa tried to inhibit the growing impulse to go and help her little sister, but after several attempts she decided to give up. Letting a sigh to escape, she closed the door and walked near Anna.

Anna couldn't believe her eyes when she saw Elsa's refection in the mirror. Startled, she tilted her head to find her standing right behind her. "Let me…" Elsa picked up the brush from the table, undoing her messy bun.

"Of course." Anna smiled, looking back at the reflection of her and Elsa together.

Elsa tied Anna's hair in an elegant bun adorned with a bottle green ribbon at the end. They talked about current fashion for a while. Slowly Anna's façade of a responsible young lady began slipping away. Soon Elsa realized that, Anna hadn't grown up at all. She was still the child who admired her, loved her. She was still clumsy with dresses. She still saw her as her champion. She agreed almost immediately when Elsa selected a green-blue striped skirt with a matching black tee for her to wear.

A text from Anna's fiancé came when they were in the middle of the makeup session.

"Oh, Elsa. Are you sure he is going to like this?" Anna cried after finishing putting on her makeup, sounding as if she would die of disappointment if Elsa was wrong.

"Of course, he is going to like it." Elsa said, and the both girls laughed together for the first time since their reunion.

"Oh Elsa, you are an angel." Anna's eyes lit up with joy. Before Elsa could even respond she hugged her and kissed her cheeks. Elsa's body stiffened almost immediately. Hesitantly she placed her arms around her sister. She felt so warm under her cold fingertips. Warmer than she thought.

"Aren't you coming?" Anna asked before opening the door and gazing at Elsa with her big blue eyes, "He is dying to meet you."

Elsa hesitated, knowing she was involving herself with Anna again. To keep her sanity, to keep Anna's sanity, she had to stay away from her.

"No." She said, her voice sounded firm.

"Oh," Anna sighed, the smile disappeared from her face almost immediately. "Sorry. Never mind..." She looked so sad that Elsa immediately began to feel guilty for hurting her like that.

Anna didn't say another word, but simply turned the door handle, and walked outside without looking back.

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Elsa stood alone in the middle of the room. Her chest suddenly began to feel so tight that she could hardly breathe. The lightness of the evening was gone, replaced by the usual tension. Anna remained the child she was, easy to hurt. But what about herself?

She thought her heart froze over years. But now she realized she hadn't change at all. She was still the bad sister who used to hurt her little sister.

No, she couldn't do that again. She had caused enough hurt to her little sister. She came here for a short time, and she promised herself that she would do everything keep Anna happy until the wedding.

Letting a sigh to escape, Elsa walked back to her own room. She peeled off her pleated navy slacks and hung them on a pants hanger in the section with blue slacks and shorts; then she padded barefoot along the room, opened her traveling bag, and retrieved a simple pleated white skirt. Then she retrieved a navy shirt trimmed in white piping and pulled it over her head. After slipping her feet into a pair of white sandals, she stopped at her old dressing table and ran a brush through her hair. Opening her purse, she found a tube of light pink lipstick, used it, and stepped back to study her reflection. The face that looked back at her seemed extremely ordinary and unnoteworthy to her, and it wasn't a perfect getup to meet one's sister's fiancé. She had only brought a few dresses, because she intended to leave this place shortly after the wedding.

Elsa took a last critical glance at her reflection and raced down the steps of the giant staircase leading to the living room. The door was open, but Elsa had to pause at the entrance, because inside the room Anna was kissing her fiancé. They were in so awkward position that made Elsa blush.

It was a bit weird to meet her future brother-in-law for the first time in such awkward situation. She decided to give them some privacy right now. She was thinking about going back, but it seemed like that they sensed her presence somehow, because they stopped kissing and pulled apart.

"Elsa." Anna was surprised to see her sister standing at the doorway, "I…I…" she got up from the sofa and walked near her sister, blushing hard to be caught in such awkward position with her fiancé.

"I'm sorry." Elsa said, feeling embarrassed for interrupting her sister's privacy. "I'm leaving..."

"But we have not been introduced yet." The girls startled by a voice speaking from the sofa behind them. Elsa turned to meet the owner of the voice- the tall, auburn haired man with bright green eyes. He stood up from the sofa and walked near Elsa, trying hard to smooth his disheveled hair.

"Elsa Kingsley." He tried to smile, but failed miserably.

"Hans Westergard!" she whispered, shifting her gaze from Hans to Anna, "Is he your fiancé?"

"Yes." Anna replied shyly, moving closer to Hans, "Hans is my fiancé."

Elsa felt her heart stopped beating for a while.


	8. Conceal. Don't feel.

**Chapter 8- Conceal. Don't feel.**

Elsa was so bewildered for a moment that she forgot to greet Hans. When she remembered, she felt the same sharp stab of longing and frustration that she'd experienced the first time she had set eyes on him and every time since. She opened her mouth to form some word, but she had no idea what to say.

Hans gazed at Elsa, but he didn't greet her either. Seriously he never thought about meeting her again. Both of them were aware of the curtsies well, but strangely neither of them proceeded. Both of them were so bewildered by the whole incident that none of them was sure who must begin the introductory process. So they continued gazing at each other, without saying any word.

"What's wrong with you two?" Anna was too worried about Elsa's reaction to her fiancé, and when she remarked on it, the silent exchange of gazes between them came to a halt and both of them shifted their gaze to her in unison. Anna felt the silent tension hanging between them.

"It look like that you've met for the first time." She asked jokingly, trying to lighten the situation.

"I'm afraid your sister has forgotten me." It was Hans who recovered first, and broke the awkward silence between them, "You should reintroduce us, Anna." He remarked jokingly, eyeing Elsa, trying to lighten the growing tension between them.

"No…no…" Feeling a bit ashamed, Elsa lowered her gaze from Hans, "Sorry…I was just wondering…" she tried to smile, holding out one hand to him, "Hello Hans…"

"Aha, you remember!" Hans laughed, but it sounded so false even in his own ears, "I thought you have forgotten me."

"No, I didn't." Elsa said, feeling harassed by all this scrutiny, gaining a bit of courage. The blush in her cheeks had not faded yet. "How can I forget the charmer of girls at school?"

"Oh," Hans looked a bit defeated by Elsa's comment. "Then you certainly remember me, Elsa." He added, gazing deep into Elsa's eyes.

Elsa quickly turned her gaze away from him. How could she forget him? Her first crush. How could she forget the kiss they shared in the girls' toilet? Her refusal, his broken heart. It was still so raw, so fresh…Elsa wondered if Hans felt the same.

She always longed to see him again, but not like this. Not as her sister's fiancé.

Anna was immensely enjoying the odd interaction between her sister and her fiancé. She was so worried about Elsa's reaction towards Hans, that she missed the whole point. But watching them talking to each other, certainly lifted her tension a bit.

"See, my sister has an excellent memory Hans." Anna gave Hans a proud look, and then took Elsa's hand. Elsa accepted her hand almost immediately. Inside she was shaking like a fallen leaf, and Anna's arms around her were really helpful to keep her rooted to the ground in this situation.

"Of course, you win, Anna." Hans let out a fake sigh, "I surrender."

Elsa felt a sharp pang of jealousy seeing the playful interaction between the lovebirds. Hans was a perfect match for Anna, both playful and outgoing in nature. He could make her sister happy. Then why she was feeling in this way? She could have him. When he asked her out, she refused him, threw him away. She was so blinded by her own guilt, that she couldn't see the consequence of her own action. She saw him taking her place in Anna's life. She let it happen herself. No, she couldn't feel in that way. She lost the chance by her own fault. Then she had caused enough hurt to her little sister by shutting her out. No she had no right to feel in this way anymore. She was here to make Anna happy, and she promised herself that she would not do anything to ruin her happiness.

She had to shut out the fourteen years old girl inside her.

"What we must do with him now, Elsa?" Elsa came back to the reality with Anna's voice. She was glaring playfully at a defeated Hans, "What punishment should I give him for underestimating you?"

Hans rolled his eyes in fake frustration, and sighed.

"Ah, Anna…" Elsa patted Anna's hand, understanding her intention to irritate her fiancé, "Don't be too hard on him…"

"She is always like that." Suppressing a laugh, Hans peered at Anna's eyelids. "All she has to do is to bat her long eyelashes."

Elsa laughed, and Anna turned red. Hans didn't change a bit. He could still make people laugh just like before.

"Hans," Anna said firmly, still blushing, "But this is not going to reduce you punishment. You must take me and Elsa for a ride."

"Huh…" Hans let out a fake sigh, and eyed Elsa, "But is she willing to go for a ride with the man who underestimated her a moment ago?"

"Why don't you ask her yourself?" Anna shoved him toward her sister. Hans gave her a disappointed glare, and walked near Elsa. Elsa felt the ground beneath her feet disappearing as she watched him stepping close her. He had the same handsome features, same graceful movements that made her heart flutter seven years ago. Elsa balled her fists, trying to control her overwhelming emotions. No, she couldn't feel in this way. Her fingernails grazed into her palm.

_Conceal, don't feel._

It was too late. Hans was already standing too close to her. His face was an inch away from hers. She could feel his warm breath brushing her skin, could count every freckles on his cheeks.

"Will you?" He whispered gazing into her eyes. Even his voice sounded like the night he asked her out. His green eyes held the same intensity when he kissed her in the darkened corner of the girls' bathroom. Elsa gazed back. It felt like old times again, and Elsa jumped guiltily, her senses going into instant overload at his nearness. The fourteen years old girl was returning again, and she had to stop it from happening.

"I can't." Suddenly Elsa's voice lost the warmth and hesitation it held moments ago. She cautiously freed her hand from Hans and took a step behind, shifting her gaze at Anna, "It is nice to meet your fiancée, Anna. But I think I better go inside and rest…"

"I guess your sister doesn't like me much." Hans said to Anna as she turned to leave.

Anna's smile faded almost instantly. Hans looked hurt by Elsa's rejection.

"She is just tired." Anna smiled, trying to apologize for Elsa's awkward behavior. "Don't worry, I'm going to get her…"

"No, wait." Hans tried to stop her, understanding the sudden turn of events. "If she is really tired…"

But Anna wasn't listening to him, she was already went out of the room to follow Elsa.

"Elsa…" She caught Elsa at the bottom of the staircase leading to the second floor. She rushed near her, took her hand, and whispered softly, "Please come with us. It'll be a matter of an hour or so. We'll be back soon. Besides it will hurt Hans if you reject him."

Elsa knew Hans was already hurt with her rejection, she hurt him before. But she would hurt Anna now if she spent more time with Hans. She gazed into Anna's eyes for a while, then nodded, "No…." She freed her hand from Anna, and began climbing the stairs.

Tears welled up from her big blue eyes. Hans, who followed Anna to the stairs, walked near her and took Anna's hand. "It's ok, Anna." He whispered, "We better leave her and…"

But Anna wasn't giving up this time; she had to clear things up. She freed her hand from Hans, and began following Elsa to the stairs. "But why?" Anna cried from behind her, and her voice made Elsa stop. She turned to face her little sister, her face was red with emotion and rejection. "Why Elsa?" Anna shouted again, her thin body was shaking with the cry she was trying to resist, "Why are you shutting me out? Why are you shutting Hans out?"

Elsa glanced at Hans who stood behind Anna; his expression was pained. She turned her eyes to Anna who was standing a step behind her, almost the verge of crying. She closed her eyes briefly. Oh God, how much hurt she caused to them? But still she couldn't. To keep her sanity, to keep Anna's sanity, she had to do this.

"I don't care about Hans's feelings. I don't care about your feelings." She opened her eyes and spoke. Her voice was as cold as ice. "He is your fiancé, not mine." She let the words flow from her mouth, and turned back. Wrapping her arms around her, Elsa stormed towards her room.

Anna looked at her angry trail for a moment. She still couldn't imagine that her sweet sister could turn so cruel. Yes, she was cold and distant, but she never voiced her lack of love for her. But now it was clear. She said it herself.

Anna's head felt so light that she felt that she was going to faint anytime. But fortunately Hans was there to hold her. "It is alright." He gathered a distressed Anna in his arms, and gently led her to the sofa. He sat down with her, and held her close. Anna rested her head on his chest, while he drew soothing circles on her back. "It is alright." He said, looking into her eyes.

Anna was shaking so horribly. Hans understood, and supported her face between his hands. "Oh, Hans," She cried, "What is wrong with her? What is wrong with me?" She clutched Hans for support, trying to steady her trembling body.

"There is nothing wrong with you." Hans smiled, drawing her closer and kissing her forehead, "I know you love Elsa, and I know her words are still troubling you. But she still loves you. I'm telling you that everything will be alright when we are married and in a house of our own, decorated with lots of pretty photographs you snapped for us, I promise everything will be alright. We might invite Elsa to come over and stay with us."

She looked up and smiled for the first time. "Are you sure, Hans?"

Hans took her hand and led her to the door, "You can trust me, Anna."

His words made her to feel a bit better. She rested her head in his shoulder and cried. When her tears finally ceased to fall, she looked up from his shoulder and smiled, "We must go now. We have much planning to do for the wedding."

Hans watched his fiancée with concern, "Are you sure?"

"Yes…" Anna summoned her strength to hold herself together. She couldn't ruin Hans's happiness for her own. She freed herself from Hans's embrace, and nodded, "I'm alright. We better go." She wiped her face, and took his arms, led him to the door without glancing back.

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Elsa stayed in her room for rest of the afternoon. She drew her knees close to her chest, and wrapped her arms around them. Why did she come back? She came to make Anna happy, but she was hurting her every now and then.

She raised her head to look at her reflection in the mirror opposite to her bed. The face that looked back at her wasn't to the Elsa Kingsley she knew. Instead she saw the fourteen years old girl, who was afraid of her own emotions. She thought her heart froze over years along with the emotions it held. But no, it was melting. Anna made it melt, Hans made it melt. She took a deep breath, it hurt too much. It hurt Anna, it hurt Hans, and it hurt herself. No she had to stop this.

_Don't let them in. Don't let them see. Be the good girl you always have to be._

_Conceal. Don't feel. Put on a show._

_Make one wrong everyone will know._

She closed her eyes and chanted the magic words to herself. Those words- her father taught her those words many years ago when she was so much broken after the death of her mother. Those words gave her strength. She hoped it would work now.

She was tired of being a bad big sister.

Anna didn't come home for dinner. Elsa dismissed the servants waiting at the dining hall, and told them that she wasn't hungry. She settled idly in a sofa in the living room, waiting for Anna, flipping through various channels. Every news channels were casting the same news.

The mysterious disappearance of Sofia Westergard.

Elsa recognized the name instantly. She was Hans' old girlfriend. They got engaged for a while before she eloped with Hans' older brother Henry. She frowned and increased the volume to listen to the news when a heavy, dragging footstep sounded in the room. Something thudded against the wall and a girl moaned.

"Anna! Hold still."

It was Hans' voice which made her jump. "Anna!" Racing to the front door, she found Hans carrying an unconscious Anna inside. "What happened?" she said, her heart leaping into her throat as she let Hans carry Anna inside, and called for servants while he dropped the girl in the sofa.

"What is wrong with her?" Elsa panicked while Hans arranged the blanket, and covered Anna with it.

"Don't worry." Hans rose from his position beside Anna, and turned his gaze towards Elsa who still standing behind him, with a face as white as paper. "She drunk a little bit more than usual." He assured her, "She will be alright by the morning."

"Oh!" Relief flooded Elsa's face, as she gazed at Anna who was now sleeping peacefully in the sofa. She took a step closer, knelt beside her, and about to move a stray hair from Anna's face. Instead she tucked her hands in her lap, and sighed. Hans smiled at her hesitation, "Oh, Elsa, go touch her. She won't bite."

Elsa ignored Hans's attempt to lighten the situation. She moved from her position beside Anna, and turned to face Hans. "I'm sorry for the evening." She told him, not looking into his eyes.

Hans studied the older Kingsley girl for a moment. She had hair the color of silver and the texture of heavy silk, and soft, dewy skin. Every time he had seen her during this past years, she seemed to have grown prettier, her skin fairer, her eyes bluer. She was no more than five feet two inches tall, barely reaching his shoulder, but in a blue knit shorts and a matching V-neck top, she had the figure of a petite goddess, with long shapely legs, full breasts, and a tiny waist. She also had a way of looking at him that made him feel mesmerized by her eyes. His gaze slid from her russet eyelashes to the gentle swell of her breasts, pausing to contemplate the curve of her smooth cheek and the softness of her lips… And the way she looked at her sister, looking so vulnerable and guilty, that made her prettier than ever. He knew she still fancied him, and it was the reason behind her rough behavior earlier this evening. Suddenly he began to feel drawn to this vulnerable sad girl, wanting her more than ever, wanting to kiss her full lips, to shove his hands in her lush silvery hair, feel the curves of her body against his own.

Realizing that he was lusting after his future sister-in-law, Hans diverted his thought with a question, but he was furious with himself for not telling his true feeling for Elsa…. "It's ridiculous that you keep shutting out Anna like that. You love her." he said brusquely. His voice made the girl look at him in consternation, but Hans was so absorbed with his own thoughts that his tone remained harsh. "Don't you have any guts? Why do you keep lying, and hurting her?"

Elsa couldn't believe he was he was speaking to her like this. Simultaneously she felt the desire to cry and hide. Instead of doing either, she gave him a long look and said quietly, "I'm not a coward, if that's what you mean. I was clear about my words earlier this evening."

"Of course, you were not." Hans said, trying to take control of the situation, "You're trying to hide your feelings. And you're hurting her more in that process."

Inch for inch, Hans Westergard was undoubtedly one of the most insightful people she'd ever known. She felt like an open book, laid bare in front of his eyes. "Anna cried after she left with me." Hans continued gazing into Elsa's eyes trying to read her reactions, "She is broken inside. And your actions are breaking her more and more. She cried after we got out for shopping. "

"No, she didn't," Elsa said, helplessly beguiled by the image of Anna crying with her fists pressed to her eyes.

"Yes, she did." Hans said firmly.

Fear crawled inside Elsa's heart, as she looked into Hans' eyes. He gazed into her eyes deeply as he read her fears. He leaned closer, and whispered in her ears, "You lied that day. You can never get over me. I know why you were so rude with me this evening.

"No…" Elsa gasped, clutching Hans's hands, "It was only a childish crush." The words flowed from her mouth almost instantly. "I got over you before I left seven years ago."

"Really?" Hans looked at her with an expression so tender that Elsa's heart began to hammer. "Look into my eyes, and tell me what is your real feeling about me?"

Elsa tilted her head to look into Hans' eyes. They were so warm with sympathy, and his lips were an inch away from her. Elsa tried to imagine how it would feel to have his lips covering hers, but no, then Anna's face flashed in her mind. She shouldn't think about her brother-in-law like this. She closed her eyes briefly, and took a deep breath. What did she really feel about Hans?

Emotions of the fourteen years old Elsa consumed her.

 _Conceal, not feel_ …she chanted the words inside her head, and tried to think. Hans was Anna's fiancé; he loved her, cared her so much, and he was such the perfect match for Anna. Besides, he was so kind to her even after her rudeness in this evening. May be it was time to let her past go. It was time to shut the adolescent Elsa up inside her head.

"Nothing." She said, lowering her eyes from Hans, and gazing at sleeping Anna in the sofa.

"Oh, really." He leaned closer, and Elsa was mesmerized by the look in his eyes. "Anna is really wrong about you. You really love her. And you lied to me that night for her." He threw back his head and burst out laughing; then he sobered and he said huskily. "But you were wrong about me Elsa. You were always my first choice."

Elsa could hardly believe this night was actually happening, that he was really talking to her and looking at her this way. She didn't know what had finally brought it on, but she didn't want it to stop. Not yet. "Does Anna know that?" she asked shakily.

"Of course not, Elsa." He smiled, "I have moved on."

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Hans got into his car and started the engine. She hadn't changed much in the last seven years. She was still driven by her emotions. But Things changed so much for him. He was far too much different person from that love-struck sixteen years old boy. He combed his fingers roughly through his mussed ginger locks as he drove along the main road. Things were getting complicated. His wedding was only a week away, and he needed to clear his head. He had a goal and he must reach it.

His phone buzzed to indicate a text message. He tapped the screen to find a message from Sofia. Sofia? Wasn't she supposed to be in Alaska with her husband, the mighty Henry Westergard, the head of the Southern Isles Hotel Department? Then what brought her back to Florida?

Curiously he opened the text, and his eyes widened when he read the message.

_I know what you are up to._


	9. Misunderstanding

**Chapter 9- Misunderstandings**

The television in the living room was on since last night, it was set to the channel 293,  _The Fox News._

_Mysterious disappearance of Sofia Westergard._

The news title moved across the screen, an excited and overdramatic voice accompanied the chaos the station called news visuals. "Sofia Westergard, second wife of the famous businessman Henry Westergard, twelfth heir of The Southern Isles chain of hotels and now in the charge of finance department of the company. She was last seen checking in a hotel with her husband. Police is trying to trace her." A photo appeared on the screen showing a very attractive young woman with long blonde hair, thick and long eyebrows, deep blue eyes and perfectly shaped nose.

Sleepily, Elsa found the remote and turned off the television. They were broadcasting this news since yesterday. It had lost its charm by now. She hugged the pillow close, and closed her eyes. She probably dozed off for a second when the telephone on the bedside table rang, and Elsa picked it up. Last night had been a long one; Elsa realized that she had fallen asleep in the sofa. Her back was stiff, and her neck was aching from sleeping in an uncomfortable position.

"Elsa Kingsley speaking. _"_ she said in a tired, sleepy voice.

"Miss Kingsley, this is Gerda Bertillon, your family lawyer. Has Anna Kingsley left for the office already?"

The lawyer sounded so tense and desperate, that Elsa automatically looked over her shoulder to check the sofa beside her only to find it empty. "I'm not sure." She replied.

"I keep her calling since yesterday. She isn't picking up her phone. It is urgent." The anxiety in Gerda's voice was so palpable even over the phone that made Elsa's heart beat faster. Anna said that she had some meeting to attend with the trusty board about some new contract with the Southern Isles Company. The Southern Isles was one of the oldest business partners of Arendelle, so she didn't ask for details. Elsa tried to imagine what sort of urgent matter might have come up. "She was busy with her wedding preparation." She lied. "If it is not confidential I can give her the message as soon as I see her."

"You better hurry, Miss Kingsley. I should have warned you earlier." Elsa sensed something was wrong but she couldn't imagine what it was. But something was telling her, whatever it was; it wasn't in Anna's favor. From her experience of last night, she learned how immature Anna could be. She was still a sensitive child driven by her emotions. If something wrong happened, Elsa knew Anna couldn't handle it well. Her voice trembled when she asked, "What is it? May I know?"

"Yes, you can, Miss Kingsley." Elsa could feel the anxiety that had permeated Gerda's voice, "The trusty board is acting as your sister's regent. Whatever she does the benefit will go to the members of the trusty board."

"What?" the phone dropped from Elsa's hand. No…it couldn't be. Elsa looked around the room wildly, searching for Anna. It was Anna's big day; she was actually taking part in their father's business for the first time. She really didn't want to ruin it. But if the board members really decided to act as their regent, then all the benefit from the project would actually go to the broad members. She wasn't actively involved in business until now, but she could imagine what would happen. She had to stop this before it could happen. For her sister's sake, for her father's sake, for her people's sake, she had to stop Anna from signing the contract under the influence of the trusty board. She climbed the stairs and rushed to Anna's bedroom only to find it empty. She dialed Anna's number, but the phone was switched off.

"Anna," She called desperately, hoping that she was in the bathroom, but it was empty too.

"Young mistress left an hour ago." Elsa whirled around to find the old servant Marvin, standing at the door. He had come here to clean up the room in Anna's absence. "Did she tell you where she was going?" She asked.

"Yes," The servant seemed a bit surprised by the anxiety of the older mistress for the younger one. It was very unusual. "She has some meeting today." He shrugged casually, turning his attention to the clothes lying messily on the floor, "She was really excited about it. She didn't even have her breakfast."

Elsa seemed to freeze, and closed her eyes for a second; then she hurried to the garage to find a car. On her way to the office she continued dialing Anna's number, but it was still switched off. Finally she threw away the phone and crossed her arms over her chest, rubbing the sleeves of her white cotton blouse as if her arms were cold. She knew it would bring another misunderstanding between them even before she could apologize for the previous one. But she had to clear things up before it could happen.

God knew what Anna was doing now.

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Anna Kingsley busted through the glass revolving door and stalked right past the receptionist's desk. "Miss Kingsley—" the receptionist greeted, but her new employer didn't so much as glance her way. She walked past the art department without saying a word, pressed the button for the elevator, and, when the doors opened, walked inside. Her head felt as if someone had buried an ax in her skull, and the bright fluorescent light above her head made her eyes ache. Wincing, she turned away from the source of the light, and closed her eyes. She rubbed her forehead, trying to ease the headache; the effect of the hangover was still so much that made her feeling sick.

She found Hans waiting for her at the door of the conference room. Even before she could say him good morning, she was caught in his strong arms, and was greeted by a passionate kiss on her lips. They only pulled apart for the need of air, and both of them were breathing heavily.

"My my… You look so stunning today." He grinned, "And you taste so good."

Anna's cheeks flushed. She was not in kissing mood today. But she couldn't but smile hearing his tone. She pushed him away lightly and crossed her arms over her chest. "But what are you doing here? I told you I have an important meeting today."

"And I am accompanying my fiancée there." Hans smiled. There was so much assurance in his voice that Anna began to relax immediately. "But…" She hesitated, looking into his green eyes, "I am afraid, Hans..What if I fail? What if I make Elsa angry again?"

Hans stared worriedly at Anna's still form and stiff shoulders. People might think she was worried about the upcoming meeting but Hans knew what was troubling her. The event of last night was troubling her. He hugged her close, kissed her cheeks, and cupped her face, so that she was looking at him.

"Don't worry. I've talked with Elsa." He gave an assuring smile, "Just give her a little time. She will be alright."

"Thank you." She smiled, nervously, but took his hand without hesitation. The gateman held the door open for the couple and they walked inside.

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Anna never attended meetings before. Last three years everything was under Mr. Kai's supervision, so she did not have to attend any business meeting. Now Mr. Weselton had to practically quarrel with Mr. Kai to arrange the meeting. She was greeted by Duke Weselton, the head of the trusty board.

"Miss Kingsley." He smiled, and introduced her with a man with thick auburn hair and sideburns. "This is Henry Westergard, our business and project partner. He has shown interest in the project of ice hotel you father proposed before his death."

"Miss Kingsley." Henry Westergard shook Anna's hand, "I guess we shall be great partners."

"Yes, I hope." Anna replied, gazing at Hans, who didn't look so happy to see his older brother. "Hello, little brother." He smiled, looking at Hans, "Do you know my wife has gone missing? Have you seen her?"

"I have nothing to do with her" He muttered under his breath, and smiled looking at Anna, "May I just have a walk outside? I think this meeting must be a confidential one."

Anna wasn't ready to let go Hans so soon, but she understood the reason of his discomfort. Sofia was a sore topic between the brothers, and Hans really didn't want to discuss it now. She pressed his hand gently, and kissed him on cheeks, "Alright. Be quick."

Hans gave her a reassuring nod and left. Anna watched him go, and when he was gone, Henry Westergard walked beside her, and smiled, "Then, Miss Kingsley. May we begin the discussion?"

She had no way but agree.

Anna knew nothing about projects and discussions, nor had she been briefed about it. So she tried to concentrate on what Mr. Westergard said, but soon found it beyond her knowledge. She watched, yawned, and then looked around the board members seated in the room. All of them were watching her expectantly. But Anna could think about one thing, in what she had gotten herself into?

She only wished if Elsa were here too. She couldn't phone her after what happened in last night.

Duke Weselton possibly understood her situation, because he whispered in her ears, "Whatever he says, just sign the papers." Anna found the advice very useful. After twenty minutes of explaining about the project, Mr. Westergard finally presented the papers she needed to sign.

"So, Miss Kingsley." He gazed straight into her eyes, and Anna realized how amazingly his eyes resembled Hans', "Do you agree with us?"

Anna was relieved to know that the meeting was almost ending. "Yes. Of course." She answered gleefully and retrieved the controller's pen to sign the papers. Just when her pen touched the papers on the table, the door behind them busted open and Elsa stormed in.

"Anna…" She was panting from climbing all the stairs to the tenth floor. "Don't sign the papers."

"Miss Kingsley." The board was surprised with the older girl's sudden appearance, so did Duke Weselton.

"Elsa…" Anna was more than confused. She dropped the pen, raised from her chair and rushed near her distressed sister. "What's wrong?"

Elsa gazed into her sister's young hopeful eyes, then back at the men who were trying to take advantage of her naivety. But she really didn't want to offend anyone. So, she walked near her, and took both of Anna's hands, "May I talk to you please? Alone?"

Anna was taken aback by her sister's strange behavior. From behind her, she heard Duke muttering something under his breath, and Mr. Henry Westergard looked clearly offended. She knew her sister's stubbornness was once again ruining not only her reputation but also the image of their company to the foreign partners. So she took a step backwards, and stood firmly beside Mr. Westergard, "No, Elsa. Whatever you have to say, you can say it here."

"ANNA!"

Elsa was surprised by Anna's bluntness, and lack of foresight, but she softened her tone and decided to break her curtsy in public just for Anna's sake, "Fine. You cannot sign a contract without the direct permission from the president of the company."

Duke Weaslton was taken aback by the harsh tone of the always soft spoken older Kingsley, so did rest of the board members. He tried to say something to drive some sense into the head of his would-be employer, but was soon effectively shut up by Elsa's angry glare. She walked near the table, picked up the controller's pen, and put it down back to her purse, "This contract will be discussed later. Now excuse me. I have to go."

She couldn't look at Anna's face; she couldn't see that humiliated look in her eyes anymore. A strange lump was forming her throat, but she couldn't swallow it. She knew how badly she hurt Anna's ego by acting in this way. But she had no other way to stop her. She wrapped her arms around her shaking shoulders and turned to the door. A slight murmur of protest rose among the board members, but she ignored and began walking straight towards the door.

Anna only stood there feeling humiliated and alone. Mr. Westergard walked beside her looking very much offended, "Miss Kingsley, if I knew that you are so incompetent, I'd never be interested to sign a contract with your company."

That was enough for Anna. She gazed at the board members and their irritated face, then at Mr. Westergard and his annoyed glare. It didn't take her much time to understand how much underestimated she was by the people who witnessed her humiliation. She was just proved less competent than her sister. And it made her feeling more and more angry. She looked at her sister's retreating form, and ran towards her.

"Elsa…" Anna cried, practically shaking from the cry she was trying to resist, "Why are you doing this? Why are you humiliating me in every step of my life?" She paused to take another angry breath when her sister ignored her, continued walking.

"Enough, Anna." Elsa wrapped her arms around herself tighter, trying to keep her shuttered self together, and kept heading towards the door. But Anna was not listening. She followed her, yelling louder than before, "Why do you shut me out? Why do you shut the world out? What are you afraid of?"

She ran and caught one of Elsa's hands. Elsa looked at their entwined hands for a second and took a shuddered breath. No, she couldn't do it. She couldn't let her in anymore. She had made her mind. She would give up her position to Anna, and fly back to Norway.

"Let me go, Anna."

So she twisted her hand free from her grasp, sending Anna to the floor.

"Elsa…" Anna hit the floor hard, but still she couldn't believe that her sister could be so cruel. Duke Weselton came to her aid, but she refused. She gazed up at her with fear, as Elsa made her way to the elevator.

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Elsa practically bumped into Hans as she continued running. Hans was just making his way towards the conference room just having third cup of coffee, making a phone call to his twin friends and clearing up his head a bit. His meeting with Sofia last night had not gone well, and now she disappeared, then Henry appeared from nowhere. Things were getting really complicated. He ordered another coffee, he needed to calm down a bit. Through the glass that separated the canteen from the corridor, he saw Elsa Kingsley heading towards the exit. Curiously he picked up his coffee and sandwich, and walked in on her. She was so preoccupied with herself that she didn't noticed Hans as she collided with his chest, literally. They parted soon, but she looked so pale, that Hans wondered if she was alright.

"Coffee?" He asked.

Elsa startled with the sound of his voice, and looked up, a bit puzzled, but she relaxed as soon as she recognized him. He offered her coffee, and Elsa accepted it gratefully. She took a sip from the paper cup. "Thank you." She returned the cup to Hans. "What time is it?" she asked, her voice sounded tense and worried. "11:45 am." Hans looked at his watch and replied, watching Elsa with much concern.

"Oh!" A sigh escaped from Elsa's mouth involuntarily, as she resumed walking. She fell silent once more, and Hans decided to follow her. Her face looked so pale, and her lips seemed so dry that Hans couldn't resist but expressed his concern about her.

"Wait, Elsa." He said, walking faster to decrease the distance between them, "Are you alright?"

His question startled her. Elsa shook her head, and tried to smile, "Oh, yes. I just meet Anna. But it was so…"

The tear shining at the corner of her eyes didn't escape Hans' eyes. "Don't lie to me, Elsa." His voice sounded firm.

Elsa's shoulders drooped under his piercing glance; she turned her face to hide her tears, but it wasn't much effective. Hans moved closer, and rested his hands around her shaking shoulders. Turning her face towards his, he asked, "What's wrong?"

Elsa's hands tightened convulsively behind her back, and Hans saw her bite down hard on her lower lip, reminding him of a distressed mother bird who knows her chick isn't doing well outside the nest. Elsa looked down and shrugged mildly, "I've decided something. And I can't say it."

"Why not?"

"You'd be furious."

"Let's hear it," he ordered.

"Okay, I just learned that the trusty board is acting as Anna's regent. So I stopped her signing a contract with the Southern Isles. But the meeting didn't go well. I quarreled with Anna. And I humiliated her in public. So I've decided to leave for Europe in the next flight."

Hans blinked several times, unable to believe Elsa's words. Henry's plan failed. Great! But she was leaving for Anna. Now, that was a real bad. He gazed at her for a second, and then shook his head, looking pretty furious. "No it can't be." He shook his head impatiently, "You know much shocked Anna would be when she will hear the news. She will be heartbroken. She wanted you to be her maid of honor."

"I know." Elsa said slowly, her eyes were full of tears, "She already hates me. I have just ruined her first day at work. Maybe she will find my crush on you soon. It will ruin her wedding too." Tears rolled from her big blue eyes, as she resumed walking again. "People say I am a bad omen. I better stay away from her."

Hans understood her sufferings, and he was angry with Mr. Kingsley for making her to think like this, but still he knew Elsa had nothing to do with this. He stopped thinking, and walked up silently behind her, "If it is your decision I'll not stop you, Elsa." His voice was warm. "But still I'd say you to give it another chance."

Elsa jumped guiltily, her senses going into instant overload at his nearness. His voice sounded as dark and sultry as the night; he smelled like soap and expensive cologne; he seemed to loom over her—as indomitable and rugged as the mountains in the Texas hill country to the west. "What do you mean by that?"

Moving to a position beside her, he wrapped his arms around her shoulders in a friendly hug and said, "I mean I'd hate to see anything come between you and Anna. The two of you are closer than any natural sisters I've ever known. And I know whatever you're doing is to protect her."

"Thank you." Elsa said, peering at him, trying not to notice that his shirt sleeve was touching her upper arm.

"But whatever you do Anna will always love you. She will really hate you if you leave her." He gazed deep into her eyes. "She will miss you."

Ill at ease with that topic, and unable to think of a different one when he was standing so close, Elsa returned his gaze. "I'm sorry. But I've no other way. I've humiliated her in such a bad way today. I can't meet her anymore."

Despite her philosophical understanding of the situation, Elsa sighed as she watched the white fluorescent light reflecting over the fair column of his neck and gild the hard contour of his perfect jaws and chin, and reflecting on his auburn hair, turning them a shade lighter. She knew she would miss these, and she shouldn't feel like this, shouldn't be emotionally involved with Hans or Anna. She knew her presence would only bring disappointment and unhappiness to Anna's life, and she was willing to take all the risks to stop this from happening.

"I'm so sorry." She whispered.

Hans surveyed her upturned face. It was true that he dated many girls, but he always fancied her. But he was split with his choice among two. Anna was the easy going one, and Elsa always intrigued him, but she was unattainable. And when Elsa was out of the picture after the accident, he decided to choose Anna after his return from Denmark. But when Elsa returned….Hans felt the same fantasies he had for Elsa since his adolescence. And now he was going to lose her forever. When he remembered it, a strange feeling consumed his senses, the feelings he never felt for Anna.

"And possibly I'll miss you too."," he admitted with a slow grin, and cupped Elsa's face in his hands. "Tell me will not you miss me, Elsa? Or Anna?

She still loved him, Elsa realized, and all her fears consumed her again. He was Anna's fiancé. She shouldn't feel in this way. She dropped her gaze from his chocolate eyes to his sensual mouth, and felt her limbs weakening against her will.

"No I will not…" She breathed shakily, wanting to run away, yet unable to move an inch.

"Tell the truth Elsa…" Hans placed his hand along her cheek, caressing her skin gently, "Tell it."

Guiltiness consumed Elsa's heart. She couldn't keep lying to her heart anymore. Yes, she would miss Anna. She would miss Hans. Horribly. Terribly. She wished Anna never invited her here. She wished things were not so complicated. And she wished she had never come here to hurt Anna, to hurt herself. If it hurt her that much, God knew how much she was going to hurt Anna.

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Anna stared at space for a moment. It didn't make any sense. Elsa was cruel she knew, but she wasn't that cruel to humiliate her in public. She had noticed her behaving strange since she introduced her with Hans. Since the moment she met her fiancé, Elsa seemed to become more cruel, more cold and distant from her. She didn't know what the reason behind it, but she wanted to find it out.

She climbed the giant staircase leading to the exit, and stopped near the last step where she found Elsa and Hans standing together, holding hands. The way she was looking at him, Anna knew it meant only one thing. Suddenly the events of the last night began to make sense- Elsa's awkward reaction towards her and Hans, her sudden outburst in the conference room….

Oh, God why didn't she see that earlier?

"Elsa…" the couple was startled by Anna's voice, and whirled around. Elsa looked at her sister's face; her beautiful face was red with anger. "Is that why you shut me out?" Anna made no attempt to hide her anger.

Elsa immediately realized that her sister found out her secret.

"Let me explain." She walked near Anna, with a guilty look in her face. Anna was still shaking with anger.

"No," She shoved Elsa's hands away from her. "Don't touch me Elsa. Is that why you are behaving in that way? Why didn't you tell me earlier? Or you just want to play noble? Or you are just jealous?"

Angry tears rolled from Anna's eyes. Elsa looked helplessly at Hans. Oh, God she really hurt Anna now.

"Listen, Anna." Elsa whispered, wrapping her arms around herself, feeling guiltier than ever, "I'm just wanted to protect you."

"I'm not a child, Elsa." Anna shouted, her eyes were blurred with tears, "And is that how you are protecting me? Shutting me out? Humiliating me in public? Romancing my fiancé in secret?"

"Anna, everything I did there I did for you. They were using you. I tried to protect you. Hans has nothing to do with it. "Elsa said, sounding as meek and bewildered as a child who has been punished for something she didn't do.

The corner of Anna's lips turned up with a wry smile."Playing hero, Elsa? Then how can you explain the way you reacted with Hans? Don't think that I'm an idiot. "

Elsa let out a sigh. Every word Anna said was true. Very true.

Hans moved his gaze from Anna to Elsa. He knew this dispute between the sisters would never end if he hadn't taken the matters in his hands. So he walked beside Anna, placed her arms around her shoulders, and cupped her chin, so that she was looking at him. "Anna, calm down." He whispered. "Elsa just fancies me. But it is over between us long ago."

Anna's eyes widened with his confession. She moved her gaze to Elsa standing at a distance, looking so pale that she would faint anytime. Jealousy and anger consumed her heart. Why didn't she see that earlier? Behind her cold mask, Elsa was doing nothing but pitying her. Her whole life was nothing but a big big pitiful mess.

But she couldn't let that happen anymore. She couldn't live on Elsa's pity. She needed to be free. She needed to free Elsa from her curse. Anna tilted her face and looked at Hans. "I'm sorry Hans." She whispered. "But I think our engagement is over now."

"Anna…" Elsa cried. Oh dear, what she had done? Crashing her sister's marriage? She rushed near Anna to take her hand, and shook it firmly, "What are you doing?" She tried to drive some sense into Anna's thick head. "Are you out of your mind?"

"I don't want your pity, Elsa." Anna said, getting her voice under control and her features into a semblance of their normal expression. "I cannot live like this anymore."

"Anna…" Elsa was both shocked and hurt with Anna's cruel words, but Anna couldn't resist her cry anymore. Fat tears welled up from her eyes, as she gazed into Elsa's eyes and begged, "Not let me be free Elsa. Let me be free from your protection. I need to grow up."

"Anna…." Elsa couldn't resist her tears anymore. She choked as she whispered, "Try to understand…." She grasped her sister's hands tightly and pulled her closer, "I do not pity you…"

"No… I don't trust you." Anna stepped back. Then she freed her hand from hers and ran.

"Anna…" Elsa followed her, but before she could reach her, she slipped over the smooth marble floor. Hans quickly rushed to Elsa's side, only to find her sitting on the steps, looking helplessly at Anna's car wheeling away. Two tears rolled from Elsa's eyes, she didn't wipe them away.

"I'm sorry, Elsa." He whispered softly. Anna was out of their sight already.

"We need to find her. I can't let her go." Elsa said, quickly regaining her posture, and then gazed at Hans. "Will you help me?"

"Of course." Hans nodded and he led Elsa to his car. While Elsa tried to reach Anna over telephone, Hans tried to track Anna's car. Anna's phone kept ringing and ringing, but no one picked it up. Elsa kept looking at the busy traffic, trying to spot any familiar car, but Anna's car was nowhere to be seen. Hans rang the police, Elsa rang home and some of Anna's friends, but she was nowhere to be found.

It was an endless search. Elsa didn't know when she fell asleep with her head on Hans' shoulder. She was so messed with emotions and worries that her brain decided to shut down for a while. She woke up by Hans' firm shaking.

"Elsa, wake up." He said. "We've found Anna."

Elsa jolted back to the reality. She rubbed her eyes, and looked around her anxiously, but her anxiety soon turned into worry when her gaze fell on Hans's face. His expression was grim to death.

"Where?" Her voice shook as she asked him the question.

"There." Hans shifted his gaze to the white, gloomy building in front of them. Elsa followed his gaze, and her heart stopped beating when she recognized the place.

A morgue.


	10. Tears for the dearly departed

**Chapter 10- Tears for the dearly departed**

Elsa Kingsley had visited morgues before, too many times for her liking. At first her mother, lying cold and pale on a steel slab, so beautiful even after death. Before she could recover from the shock, she had to return to identify her grandparents, bloody and damaged in a car accident.

Elsa had never been so religious, but after that day she prayed to God that she had not to identify any more dead bodies of her family. But alas! Fate remained always so cruel with her. She returned home with a hope to protect Anna from the cruelty of the fate, but again the fate played the same old game with her.

Now she was standing here, at the verge of identifying Anna's body.

Elsa didn't know why this happened with her always. Why the people she loved died, while she always remained alive to mourn for them?

Elsa was grateful that Hans was still with her. After some dealings with the front desk, they were ushered to the morgue. Familiar smell of formalin and disinfectants trickled her nose. Elsa winced; that smell always made her sick, brought back bad memories. She feared that she would faint; if not Hans' strong arms were there to support her. She tilted her head to look at him. He gave her an encouraging nod when their eyes met. He encircled his arms around her shoulders tightly, and whispered, "Hope the news is false. Anna can't be dead. Trust me."

Elsa wanted to trust him. She wished Anna wasn't really dead. But deep inside her heart she knew it wasn't true. Anna was really dead. Guilt consumed her heart once more. He treated her so gently, and she had taken away his love away from him. Anna wanted to break the ice between them, and she drove her to the path of death. How many lives she would ruin? How many hearts she would break?

They were escorted to the autopsy room. Like a living dead, Elsa complied.

They stopped near a large white room, full of shelved cabinets made of cold metal. She wrapped her arms around her shoulders, rubbed them lightly, as if her arms were cold. There was a body left on the autopsy table, covered with white sheet. Elsa turned her eyes away from the body, feeling sick in the pit of her stomach. She wondered if the body belonged to Anna….

"There it is.." Instead of leading them to the autopsy table the morgue attendant turned a key and pulled out a long slab from the shelved cabinet. Hans squeezed Elsa's hand, but Elsa let it go and she stepped closer to the metal slab. The attendant pulled the white sheet covering the body.

"The car you've mentioned was found abandoned near the lagoon. We've fished out this body from the water." The police officer said. Elsa saw the body and her knees buckled. She swayed as if she was hit by sudden gust of strong wind. Hans held her shoulders.

"Ah!" Elsa breathed viciously.

"Be strong, be strong," Hans chanted softly.

Elsa tried standing but couldn't. The autopsy technician got her a chair and she sank into it. Hans stood beside her, supporting her. The body was badly burnt, and the face was barely recognizable.

"Is that Anna Kingsley, ma'm?" The policeman asked.

Elsa stared at the body for a long time; she just couldn't believe that her beautiful sister could turn into a piece of burnt human remnant. Hans understood Elsa's hesitation. He turned to the police, gave her a sideways glance, and asked, "Is there anything else? I mean any other things with the body?"

"Oh, yes." The police officer nodded, "We've found her clothes." He turned to his subordinate who handed him a transparent plastic bag. "Here they are. That is all we've found with the body."

Elsa didn't move from her place, so Hans took the bag from the police. He recognized the clothes at once. Same green-ash fabrics, unmistakably belonged to the girl he met this morning. It was hard to believe the same girl he met this morning was so full of life, was lying here dead and unresponsive. He did know how he needed to feel now, how he needed to act. He walked near Elsa, who was sitting in the chair like a statue, and knelt in front of her. Placing the bag in her lap, he asked softly, "Elsa, look at this. Can you recognize any of these clothes?"

Elsa didn't reply, only shifted her gaze to the bag containing some burnt pieces of clothes. And she froze.

"Elsa?" Hans whispered, "Do these clothes belong to Anna?" He sounded as if he was searching for hope.

Two tears rolled from Elsa's eyes. She was searching for hope too. She wished she could lie about the clothes. She knew she couldn't change the truth; she couldn't bring Anna back to life. She knew this guilt would burn her endlessly as long as she drew breath. And it was driving her insane. She gazed deep into Hans' hopeful eyes, and whispered. "I'm sorry Hans, I'm so sorry."

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**Alaska, same night**

"I can't believe you watch that, Kristoff." Mrs. Bulda Troll strode across the room, and turned off the television which was broadcasting live news about Anna Kingsley's death. For her, the news stations only showed tasteless news, purely for the purpose of inciting excitement and curiosity rather than revealing the truth.

"Oh grandma," A slight moan of protest rose from her grandson, who was sitting on the sofa, "Why do you always have to do that?"

"Dammit, Kristoff!" Grandma exploded as she put down the coffee she brought for her grandson and stomped across the small living room to the fireplace. "You're wasting your time doing all that, when the only thing I'm interested to see you established with a bright career and a loving wife. I'm not getting any younger." With ruthless determination and flawless timing, she switched tactics from coercion to guilt, while Kristoff listened in impassive silence and growing anger to a genuine tirade that far surpassed all previous discussions on this particular subject. He shifted a yawn, and picked up some old newspapers lying on the table, pretending to read them. His careless behavior irritated the old woman more. She moved closer to her grandson, and snatched away the papers from him.

"Oh grandma…" Kristoff tried to ignore her angry glare, and tried to reach the papers, but Mrs. Troll slapped his hands down.

"If it weren't for me, you'd die at your step father's place like a street dog." A slight bark of protest rose from Sven, Kristoff pet dog, but Mrs. Troll ignored him completely. Jabbing her forefinger into Kristoff's chest for emphasis, she continued, " _But I_ always believed in you, Kristoff.  _I_  encouraged you to go to college.  _I_ went to bat for you with your step father, and when he wouldn't listen, I gave you all my money so you could get a good education!" In the midst of her angry monologue, Mrs. Troll stopped and headed for the kitchen. "It's time for my medicine," she announced, "but I'm not finished. You stay right where you are until I get back."

Kristoff watched her pick her way around an old overstuffed chair and lamp table piled with magazines and said nothing. He had lost his job in supermarket after having an angry dispute with his employer. Then he spent rest of his money in buying a second-hand bike. He hadn't had a good day, and so far, the evening wasn't an improvement.

"Fancy a ride, Sven?" He turned his eyes to the white fox terrier sitting at his feet, as his grandmother disappeared into the kitchen. Sven barked in response. Kristoff quickly grabbed his coat from the hook, and cautiously opened the door. He threw a sideways glance at the kitchen where grandma was cooking dinner for two of them. As he reached the garage below, he heard grandma shouting in the upstairs.

"The lecture resumes." He chuckled at her concern, and turned the key. The bike roared into life.

The weather was unstable outside, the air was incredibly cold, and a wet gray fog blanketed the night, broken only by the faint eerie glow of lights along the street. The street was incredibly empty. Kristoff increased the speed. Despite being second hand, the bike was still in very good shape.

"What do you think, Sven?" Kristoff asked the dog in the backseat. Sven barked happily. Suddenly an alley cat screamed and bolted off a roof, startling Sven. He began to bark loudly, and Kristoff increased the speed to ditch the cat. At the same time a dark female figure staggered out of nowhere, and then materialized directly in front of Kristoff's bike.

"STEP ASIDE! LOOK OUT!" he called, but his voice was drowned out by the strong blowing of the wind. He pressed the brake, but he wasn't in time, the bike directly hit the girl, sending her flying onto the street, on her face. Kristoff killed the engine, got down from his bike, crouched down, and turned her over in his arms. She was petite; her face was small framed with the hair of the color of strawberry. She was only in her lingerie, and she was wet. She was shivering slightly, so Kristoff covered her with his coat.

"Are you alright, miss?" He asked with much concern. To his voice her eyes flattered open, and in the yellowish street light Kristoff saw that her eyes were of the color of ocean. She moved her lips in order to form some kind of word, "Anna…."

"Anna….what….?" Kristoff gave her a confused look. But her head fell back limply and blood began to run from the huge lump at the back of her scalp.

 


	11. Put on a show

**Chapter 11- Put on a show**

Soon after the mysterious disappearance of Sofia Westergard, the death of Anna Kingsley made both Westergard and Kingsley families the talk of the town. Sofia's previous relationship with Hans Westergard was well known, and the argument between the Kingsley sisters was witnessed by many of the employees, and the media turned it into some kind of power play. Now they began suspecting Elsa Kingsley behind the disappearance of both women.

Hans never experienced the demerits of being famous, but he did as soon as he arrived at the Kingsley mansion. By the time he reached the gate the news of his arrival already spread, making him the object of interest of the servants, the security guards in the lobby, and even the parking lot attendant. His i-phone was full of messages from reporters, from friends, and from distant acquaintances who rarely called—all of them, Hans was certain, eager for more of the juicy details. He picked his way to the staircase leading upstairs and walked towards the master bedroom. He ignored the curious glances of the servants, and headed straight toward Elsa's room.

He knocked the door; but when no one answered, he cautiously pushed it open. He walked into the darkened room, and his heart leapt in pity and alarm to behold the formerly beautiful, confident woman in the other side of the room, looking like a ghost of her former self. The room was in a mess. Hans cautiously picked his way toward her through the jungle of papers, sculpting equipments, photography albums, broken flower vases, and miscellaneous debris that covered every surface of the room. She was sitting in a chair in the middle of the mess, with her head in her hands, and her thin body was shaking horribly.

"You shouldn't keep important things lying around like this, Elsa." Hans said warmly, picking up some papers from the floor, and placing them back to the table. "They might get lost."

His voice startled Elsa. She raised her head from her hands, and Hans was shocked to see how much Anna's death made her to suffer. Beneath her crown of silver hair, Elsa's face was chalky and her blue eyes were glazed with pain and sunken into deep, dark hollows. A sign of recognition registered in her eyes as Hans pulled another chair, and sat down beside her.

"What are you doing here?" she whispered in a feeble, rasping voice he scarcely recognized as hers.

"Just checking over you." He smiled, gently placing the flower vase back to the table. "Mr. Kai and Gerda kept calling you since the last week, but you're not picking your phone up. Listen, Elsa, the company really needs an."

Elsa flinched with the sound of the word "heir", and nodded, "I've given up my position to Anna."

"But Anna is dead. According to your father's will…" Hans tried to drive some sense into her thick head.

"I don't care about the will."

"But…"

"Don't…"

There was so much firmness in her voice that effectively shut Hans up. She only gazed at the floor for a while, and then again fell silent. Her silence frightened Hans once more. Once she was taken by grief after Anna's accident, and isolated herself for seven long years. His childhood dreams were shuttered under her burden of grief. And this time he feared that she was going to isolate herself forever.

And that thought frightened him. He already lost Anna. Sofia was out of picture. He didn't want to lose Elsa now. So he took her hand, lying limply on her lap, and gripped it firmly, "Oh, Elsa, you must not go on this way," he leaned close to her, and said with a compassionate whisper, his eyes pleading with the grieving girl to listen to him. "You must not. Anna would hate to see you like this." When he got no reaction at all, his desperation grew and he squeezed the fragile hand tightly. "Have you any idea how proud she was of your brilliance and spirit? Have you? I know she was, because she  _boasted_ of those very things to me. She told that you'd be a wonderful president."

The faded blue eyes never wavered. Not certain whether Elsa hadn't heard him, hadn't believed him, or simply didn't care, Hans redoubled her efforts to convince her. "It's true. I remember the occasion very well when you convinced Anna to ride with me. After the ride, I told her that you're the most expert rider I've ever seen. She smiled when I said that—you know, one of her special smiles that made you feel like smiling in return? Then do you know what she said?"

Elsa closed her eyes and a moment later two tears rolled slowly down her pale cheeks. But Hans continued, "She said, you're the best sister in the world. And she hated to see you crying. She will hate you to see you like this."

Elsa's eyes were opened and she looked at Hans with anguished pleading and doubt. "But…" Her voice chocked as she whispered, "I killed her, Hans. My decision killed her. My fancy for you killed her."

"Oh, no you didn't." Laying his hand upon the heartbroken woman's cheek, Hans tried harder to convince her he spoke, "You tried to protect her, Elsa."

"But…" Elsa chocked.

"Anna wanted you to keep up your father's legacy." Hans continued, taking out a paper from his pocket, and handed it to Elsa. "Police found it in her pocket." With shaking hand Elsa took the paper from Hans, and gazed at it. Water washed away most of the lines, but still few of the words were still could be read. Tears welled up from her eyes as she read the lines written on the piece of paper.

_Elsa…. Keep….papa's…..legacy…._

Anna's dying wish!

Those lines…those few lines, altered everything of her life, of Anna's life, and she hated this too much. She picked up the paper from the desk, and threw it to the floor. It rolled aimlessly for a few seconds, before finally settling at Hans' feet. Cautiously he picked up the battered piece of paper, and gazed into Elsa's eyes. "What do you think, Elsa?" He was losing control over his own emotion that he could hardly talk. .

Several silent minutes later, Elsa swallowed convulsively, and lifted her eyes to meet Hans'. In a broken voice she asked, "Did Anna truly wish that- about me?"

"Anna had enough tricks in her sleeves to annoy you." Hans nodded and tried to smile, but tears spilled from his eyes, and dripped from his lashes: "I loved her, always, you know," he chocked. Reaching up, Elsa put his arms around the grieving man who had lost the love of his life. "Hans," she sobbed, "You told me to tell her that I love her. But I didn't. Instead I drove her to the path of death. Can you forgive me, Hans?"

"Oh, yes, Elsa." Hans held her, "I forgive you."

For the rest of that day, Hans remained with the Elsa, who seemed to need to talk about Anna almost constantly, now that the dam of grief had been broken. Two grieving souls found comfort in the company of each other. Before leaving, Hans asked about her decision about being the president, Elsa gazed at the floor a second, then raised her eyes to look at Hans, and softly promised, "I'll do what Anna wished."

Hans took her hands, held her as she cried on his shoulder.

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Miss Kingsley's death had been a hot topic since the last week, and Kristoff was tired to read all the rumors and news about the death, and the Kingsley girls. It had been a typical love triangle- two sisters falling for one man, ending up killing another. Unfortunately no newspaper was able to publish a photo of the dead girl. The Kingsley family kept it highly secret. Yawning he closed the online news page in his mobile, and threw a bored look in the direction of the doctor who was now leading him to the female ward. He had no idea why the police and others called him in the middle of the night to identify the girl he rescued. She was in coma for almost a week, and he had no idea who she was, except the name she managed to say before losing her consciousness.

"She is suffering from amnesia, which means she has no memory of her past." Dr. Peebie informed him before entering, "She was nearly drowned, and we've no idea how she survived. She can only mention her name and something about her fiancé."

"But I can do?" Kristoff threw a puzzled look at the doctor, "I don't even know her."

"Who knows?" Dr. Peebie smiled jokingly, "How can we be sure that you're not her fiancé? May be you've dumped her here because you wanted to ditch her."

Kristoff rolled his eyes, and followed the doctor inside the ward. They walked past several beds, and when they stopped near a bed in the corner, Kristoff immediately recognized the girl from last night. She looked paler than before, with a big white bandage around her head, and her eyes were closed. Kristoff knew her eyes were deep blue behind those closed lids.

"Miss Anna?" Anna sensed the presence of people in the darkened room as she floated in a comforting gray mist, drifting in and out of sleep, her mind registering neither fear nor concern, only mild confusion. She clung to that blissful state, because it allowed her to escape the nameless fears and haunting questions nagging at the back of her mind.

"Miss Anna?" The voice was very near her ear, kind but insistent and vaguely familiar. He was calling her. She was drifting back to sleep, but she forced her eyes open, trying to stay awake. In the haze that was created by the morphine running into her system, she registered two faces- one very familiar in white coat, the face she saw every time she woke up, and another one unfamiliar, much younger, with a head full of blonde hair. She gave them a confused look, as if asking why they were disturbing her in the middle of the night.

"Do you recognize me?" The man in white coat asked.

Anna started to nod, but movement made her head hurt so horribly that spontaneous tears burned her eyes. She stopped moving her head, and moved her lips to answer his question. 'Dr. Pebbie." She said. She felt that the process didn't make her head hurt, so she decided to ask her own question, "Where am I?"

"In hospital." The good doctor said reassuringly, and Kristoff gave him a concerned look.

"Why?" the next question nagged her mind.

Two men exchanged worried looks, and then the doctor smiled, "Alright, dear. All you said last night that you had a bad argument with your fiancé."

"Oh!" Anna processed the information, although she had no idea when she said that. She gazed at the men in front of her. A fiancé, she thought…that meant she was engaged...to the other man, she decided, because he was currently talking with the doctor about something. Her fuzzy brain couldn't register most of the words, but she knew they were talking about her. Maybe he came to apologize. She shifted her gaze to the younger man and gave him a warm, reassuring smile, but he was frowning at the doctor, who was shaking his head at him in some sort of warning.

"She seems to know you." Dr. Peebie said, gazing at Kristoff, "Are you sure that you don't know her?"

"I'm sure. She must have mistaken me for someone else" Kristoff shook his head, and turned his gaze towards Anna's hopeful eyes, and said, "I'm sorry."

She wondered why her fiancé was suddenly apologizing to her, and then for the first time in her recollection, she heard his voice—deep, confident, and incredibly soothing. "Don't worry. Everything will going to be fine. All you need is a little time and some rest."

Anna obeyed. Exhausted, she closed her eyes, and suddenly an irrational fear of being alone engulfed her as the men began to move. She raised her weak hands, and clutched her fiancé's hands. "Stay." She said in a faint whisper that was draining the last of her strength. "Please." When he hesitated and looked at the doctor, Anna wetted her cracked lips, and drew a labored breath, "Please." She managed to say, clinging to his hands.

Kristoff was determined to leave. He gazed at her carefully for the first time since their meeting. Everything about her was appealing and wholesome, and yet he sensed there was something about her that other girls lacked. She had hair the color of strawberry and a pair of startlingly large, long-lashed eyes—clear, luminous, mesmerizing blue eyes that were now full of plea. They were expressive eyes, bright with honesty, and yet filled with a sweetness that made Kristoff to change his decision. He sat in the visitor's chair, and took her hand.

"Alright, I'm staying." He said, gazing at their entwined hands, "But remember I'm not your fiancé."


	12. The game is on

**Chapter 12- The game is on**

Bright sunlight poured through the white draperies, and Anna opened her eyes again. Her fiancé was seated in a chair beside the bed, holding her hand, and fast asleep. Anna cautiously turned her head over the pillow, grateful that this movement didn't cause much pain. She gazed at the white walls around her, and the white curtain that separated her from other patients. A hospital, she registered. But why was she here? She tried to recall, but the thought caused her head to ache a little. So she stopped thinking, and turned her concentration to the man to whom she was engaged to be married.

He was young, in his early twenties, she guessed, and his thick hair was of the color of the sun, beautifully trimmed to lie flat on his forehead. At the moment, his hair was rumpled from sleep and there was something endearingly boyish about that and the way his spiky brown lashes lay against his face. There was something innocent about the rest of him, like a cuddly teddy bear, and she felt a mixture of joy and affection for him at the discovery. But there was something manly about him too. His straight, dark brown brows were drawn together in a scowl that boded ill for someone in his dreams. The white fabric of his shirt was stretched taut over powerful shoulders and muscular arms. He was lovely and boyish, yet he was manly and powerful, she decided.

And handsome.

She remembered a few words from his conversation with the doctor. He said she had a bad argument with him. She rested her eyes affectionately on his face. Moreover, he'd stayed with her all night, sleeping in that dreadfully uncomfortable position and never letting go of her hand; therefore, he must be very much in love with her. How could she have such a bad dispute with this lovely man?

She tried to think about the night when she almost killed herself, but nothing came to her mind. She closed her eyes tightly, searching for any recollection of him or of her past, but there was nothing except a black void. " _Concentrate…think harder…_ " Anna said to herself. " _Concentrate on happy memories…_ "

How did they meet? At party? At dinner? At university? Did they know each other before they started dating? Where did they go for dates? Somewhere romantic, she guessed. When did they share their first kiss? No woman could forget dating such a sweet man, being loved by him. How did he propose her? She'd remember it all in a minute, she told herself fiercely, fighting back a surge of panic so strong it made her feel nauseated. She closed her eyes, searching for the memory when he went down on one knee, and said, "Will you marry me, Anna…."

Anna? Anna who? She couldn't even remember her last name.

She possibly said yes to him. To him? To Whom? Oh, God, she didn't even recall her fiancé's name.

What was it? She tried to make some logical guess. John…Henry…Michel….Who? She tried to think of something clever, but her mind remained blank. A surge of panic rushed through her mind, as she tried to stay calm. But she couldn't stay calm. She couldn't remember her name. She couldn't remember his name. She couldn't remember her own life. Unknowingly her hands clasped around her fiancé sleeping peacefully beside her, and her whole body raked with the question she was holding back.

Kristoff felt as if his hand had been clamped in a vise grip. He tried to pull free of the painful grasp, but it held onto him. He half opened his eyes to see a pair of blue eyes looking at him, asking, "What is your name?"

"Don't know…" He replied in a sleepy tone. He twisted his hand free from her grasp, he drifted deeper into slumber, reaching for the bliss of it, but something she'd said was holding him back, tugging at him. "I don't know your name. I don't know my name….Don't know….don't know…"

Kristoff's eyes snapped open, terribly furious for waking him up for such a ridiculous question. She'd turned her face away and covered her mouth with her left hand in an attempt to silence her cries, but shudders were still racking her body. He immediately recognized the girl he rescued a week ago, and wondered how on earth he ended up sleeping beside her bed.

"What's wrong?" he said carefully, gentling his voice to what he hoped was a soothing tone. "Are you feeling ill?"

Anna turned her face, and was taken aback how tired he looked. He might have been so worried about her, she guessed. She felt very ashamed for waking him up in such a rude way. She wiped away her tears with her right hand, and tried to smile, "Nothing so serious." She said. Guided by an instinctive desire to make the best of a difficult situation, she drew a shaky breath and gave him an apologetic smile. "I know it's absurd, but I think I forgot your name."

"Bjorgman." Kristoff tried to give her his best smile, "Kristoff Bjorgman. Is that why you woke me up?" He yawned.

"Oh!" A small sigh escaped from Anna's lips as she looked at Kristoff's face, and smiled, "I'm sorry, Kristoff."

"Why?" Kristoff looked puzzled.

"For waking you up." Anna said apologetically, lacing her fingers into his lovingly. "I'm sorry for every trouble I caused you."

"It's alright." Kristoff said. She had a lovely voice, he realized. And for some weird reason, he liked to play this little game along with her, but the truth was he couldn't play it for long. She would realize that he wasn't her finance soon, and it would traumatize her already injured mind. Slowly he withdrew his hand from hers, stood up, and smiled; "I'm going to meet the doctor. I must talk about your condition.

"Come back soon." She giggled weakly at that, but she was tiring, and he saw it. He felt a sharp pang of guilt inside him for leaving her like that.

"Alright." He smiled, and she smiled back at him, before drifting back to the sleep again.

But the truth was it was their last meeting. But because the curtsy towards the opposite sex had been drummed into his head since childhood, and because he had some sympathy for that unfortunate girl, he left his address and phone number at the front desk before leaving the hospital, and told them to contact him if Anna needed anything.

.

.

.

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The condolence meeting of Anna Kingsley was held at the Kingsley family grave.

Elsa stood beside Anna's grave, speech in a shaky hand as she faced her people. Hans, of course, followed her and stood by her side as he always did. Yes, the media was accusing her for Anna's mysterious death. They were suspecting that she was having secret affair with her sister's fiancé. She knew that a bigger portion of her employees believed in that rumor too. She raised her teary eyes to look at Hans; he gave her an encouraging smile in return. It seemed like that he did care nothing about the rumor. He gently placed a hand around her waist, tried to calm her down and give her enough confidence to deliver Anna's eulogy. "We must do what Anna wished." He whispered. Elsa nodded, feeling very grateful for him being with her all the time.

She took a deep breath, and raised the paper to her eyes. She looked perfectly clam and poised, but Hans knew she was breaking inside. The air was cold, so was her skin. Hans moved closer, and patted her back soothingly. Photographers stood massed behind barriers patrolled by security guards, their long-snouted cameras poised. Behind them there were journalists from various states were talking, while soundmen with head phone hovered.

All of them fell silent as Elsa began her speech.

"Employees of the Kingsley Business group, today we've gathered to say goodbye to our beloved Anna, my dearest sister, the person who was the sunshine of our world. But now the ray is gone, but the sun will never set."

Hans knew Elsa's words sounded forced, but right to the point. He flashed an encouraging smile, reminding her that it was the time to move on to the right point. Elsa understood.

"Anna wanted our business to flourish. She wished to bear our father's legacy. I will do what she wanted to do. I will bear the legacy that Anna left behind…I will….."

Elsa looked at the crowd for a second. It was the moment she was afraid of. Taking a shaky breath she let her voice waft over the crowd. The crowd stared, waiting patiently for the rest of her speech.

"Today I am officially taking the position of the president of the Arendelle Company."

The declaration made the crowd gasp. Some stared. Some gaped at her in shock. Hans just felt shivers travel down his neck and spine. Haunting, ephemeral… Elsa ate the idea he fed her last night.

"But Miss Kingsley," A man behind a large video camera shouted, "In your absence your sister was acting as the regent. Was that reason of the argument?"

Elsa's grip on Hans' arms tightened automatically. She gave him a frightened look, but Hans gave her another encouraging nod. He needed to play this little game along with her. "No," Her lips quivered with the cry she was trying to resist, "She was about make a mistake. I just wanted to correct her."

The crowd gasped in shock, while comments continued passing. It was definitely a sensitive issue, and Elsa's comment added more fire to the rumor. It was getting out of control now.

"But people say that you were angry because you didn't want to share your power with her." Another voice called from the crowd," Were you afraid that your sister will take over the company in your absence? And what do you think about Sofia Westergard's sudden disappearance on the same day?"

"Because, I…." Elsa opened her mouth to answer, but Hans quickly cut her off. ""I think it is not necessary for the story." He looked at the girl in his arms, who was puzzled with his sudden interruption, "That is the internal matter of the family. We can't talk about anything indiscreet."

A whisper of surprise rose among the crowd. Some of them began throwing curious glances at their entwined hands.

"What is so indiscreet, Mr. Westergard?" Another journalist questioned, "Are you involved in this conspiracy too? Is it one of the reasons of the argument?"

"It's not true." Elsa replied feeling uncomfortable. "Hans is my best friend, you all know it."

"We are in a good relationship." Hans said, holding Elsa's hand tightly, shielding her, hiding her from the cameras. Elsa seemed very grateful for his afford. But he knew this little gesture earned a lot of trust from this broken girl. He didn't need publicity to materialize his plan. All he needed a little attention.

But the secret exchange of glances between them didn't escape the media's eyes. A brown haired journalist shouted among the crowd, "But these days we see you two together a lot. Is it only friendship or something more? Does it have something do with your sister-in-law's disappearance too?"

Elsa looked insulted.

"I care about her a lot… I love her." Hans shouted to the crowd, gripping her hand tightly, cutting off her questions and yanked her back to him. "Hans…what…" Elsa was shocked as the cameras began to follow the retreating couple. And the silence of the graveyard was insulted by a chorus of shutter clicks and blinding lights. Passing through the main door, he pushed Elsa into the car, and shut the door, effectively blocking out the crowd of photographers. He looked at Elsa, and placed his right hand on her shoulder. She is still shaking. "Are you all right?" He asked.

Elsa was ready to collapse in her mourning dress, that's how exhausted she was. After talking to so many people, answering so many questions about Anna, and the thing that happened with Hans, Elsa just wanted to be alone.

"Go away, Hans…" She cried, turning her head to the other side, brushing Hans' hand off her shoulder, "Just leave me alone."

"There are many reasons for you to be angry with me. But I said what I feel for real." Hans nodded, patting her hands softly, "But I'm sorry that that offended you, Elsa. It's ok. I'm leaving." He let go her hand, and stopped the car. Handing the key to Elsa, he turned the knob to open the door.

He was really leaving. Suddenly an irrational fear of being alone began engulfing her, as the Hans began to move. It happened to her a lot since Anna's death.

"Wait…" Elsa raised her head, and looked at Hans, trying to keep her voice casual, "Are you leaving the car to me? How will you go home?"

"By foot, as it seems right now." Hans smiled sadly, "Don't worry, I've strong legs."

A sad smile tugged at the corner of Elsa's lips. She was still angry with him. But she knew all Hans did to save her from the angry journalists. Besides, he was with her since Anna's death. She was still grateful to him for that. Unsure of her own feelings, she looked at him and said, "Alright. You don't have to walk home."

"Thank you." Without any more words, Hans got back into the car again. He took the key from Elsa, and started the engine. "Where do you want to go now?" He asked softly.

"Anywhere but home." She said.

Hans turned the car backwards, and crossed the road leading to the Kingsley Mansion. Elsa turned her gaze to the window, to the busy traffic. She threw a sideways glance at Hans, who seemed lost in his own thoughts. She was angry with Hans for declaring his love for her in the public like that, but she couldn't ignore the feeling she had for him. Besides it was him who helped her to get through the period of grief after Anna's death. It had been a week since that night, and Hans visited her every day, helped her to get over her sorrows. He looked after her, made her tea, made her smile. But it was crazy. He had been pinning for Anna, hadn't he? Then why was he looking after her like that? Was it just his way to be nice to everyone?

She looked away from the window, and gazed at Hans who was tapping his fingers on the stirring wheel absentmindedly. "Hans," She whispered, "Why are you taking care of me in this way?"

Her question startled Hans. He turned his eyes away from the busy traffic, and gazed deep into Elsa's eyes. He saw her insecurities there; her feelings for him and her sister were tearing her up. He blinked, and shook his head slowly, "Because I care about you."

"But why?" she questioned, her arms crossed over her chest insecurely. "I don't mean to doubt you, but it had been only a weeks since Anna's death."

Hans swallowed thickly; he did it a lot recently when Elsa asked him difficult questions like this. Anna was easier one to approach, but Elsa was the difficult one. Still he did everything in his effort to make Elsa to trust him. But if she really began to doubt his intentions now…

He lowered his gaze from Elsa's face, and gazed back at the traffic signal turning green. He started the engine. "I did love her." He lied, "But I cannot forget the fourteen year old girl overridden with guilt. I don't want your sorrows to devour you again."

There was so much honesty in his words that made Elsa tear up a bit. Everything was so confusing, and Elsa felt so out of control- in her position as the president of Arendelle, in losing her sister, in how her heart beat quicker since Hans was so close—and nothing would make it easier. But as Hans used his free arm to envelop her in a tight embrace, Elsa couldn't help but feel slightly more comforted against him. "Thank you. I don't know what I'd do without you." She whispered.

Hans liked this overemotional Elsa. He liked when her feelings went out of control. She ate up everything whatever he fed her. Anna was out of picture, so was Sofia. He didn't worry about his brother Henry. Sofia's disappearance was enough to break him too. Elsa was again like the fourteen years old girl he remembered. Tomorrow his declaration would be the hot topic of the media. And it would add more fire to the rumor. He wanted her to succumb to his affection. And it was only the beginning. The game was really on.

"I will always be with you Elsa," Hans whispered, resting his chin atop Elsa's messy silver hair, holding her trembling body in his arms, " _I will_ _be with you as long as it needs_ …"

 


	13. Let it go

**Chapter 13- Let it go**

Elsa sobbed and sobbed until she had no more tear to shed. Finally, tired and weary, she fell asleep in the car.

When she woke up, she found herself in an unfamiliar bed. She sat up in her bed, and looked out of the window. It was almost dark out, and the road below was blanketed with thick white snow. Only a few people were out there wrapped in fluffy coats. She gazed at the unfamiliar sight, and looked around herself. She was not in her room in the Kingsley mansion. This place was a lot smaller than her own. Still it was so tidy and well decorated with simple furniture that she instantly began to feel at home. She slid down from the bed, and looked around herself. The wall was decorated with photographs of various shapes and sizes- from landscapes to artistic nudes. Each and every photograph held such an artistic touch that made Elsa admire the taste of the photographer.

"This is my place." Elsa was startled with a voice speaking from her behind; she turned to find Hans standing in the doorway.

"Are you in Navy?" she asked, pointing at a photo of Hans in the uniform of USA Navy.

"Oh yes, I was." Hans gazed at the photo and smiled fondly, "It was taken two years ago when I became an Admiral. But that year I had a terrible accident on the way to Iraq. I was in hospital for eight months. Then I retired and took photography as my second occupation."

"Admiral Hans Westergard." Elsa smiled, looking at the handsome man in the photo, "That suited you." Then she turned her gaze to the photos on the wall, "But you have quite a talent in photography too."

"Thank you." Hans smiled, accepting the complement, "But it is nothing beside your talent with ice. Anna admired all the beautiful ice sculptures you've designed in the North Mountain. "

Elsa blushed, and looked away. This was crazy. She had fallen asleep in the car, crying for Anna again. Her guilt kept eating her up—she was even surprised Hans wasn't getting bored or sick of her. In fact, this whole time he'd barely left her side… He comforted her, held her when she felt most vulnerable, and whispered sweet things when she blamed herself for Anna's death. Hans could have leave her alone to grieve, but instead he stayed with her, brought her to his own home. Was it just in his nature to be this nice to everyone?

"I must have fallen asleep in the car…" Elsa said starring off at the distance where their car was parked in the sidewalk. "I'm so sorry…People are talking about us…" Her eyes went back to Hans, who was watching her intently, "I'm obviously becoming a burden to you…"

"Of course not." Hans countered, walking a bit close to her, "I'm not going to leave you, whatever people say about us."

Elsa raised her eyes to look at him, she was wondering if Hans was really interested in her. She couldn't deny her own feeling though. His presence always made her uncomfortable, and nothing was so fluid between them, especially after when he found about her secret crush on him…

"But…" She whispered.

"Don't worry; you don't drool in your sleep." Hans smiled as their eyes met, his voice was light and soothing. "You have not changed a bit." His joke made her smile, she began to relax immediately. It was true Hans never made a move on her. He was always there when she was grieving for Anna, always with her when she was in her dark mood. And she was really grateful for that.

"Be my guest for the night." He said leaning so close that Elsa could feel his warm breath brushing her skin, leaving goose bumps wherever it touched.

She couldn't deny the invitation.

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Hans walked to the kitchen as he left Elsa to change into something comfortable. There wasn't much in the fridge, but he was able to make something with whatever he had in his reserve. While he was serving the foods in the table, Elsa emerged from his bedroom, clad in his shirt. It was too big for her, reaching barely to her thighs, and her legs were completely bare underneath it. Her legs were snowy white against the contrast of the navy blue color of the shirt. Hans threw a surprising gaze at her which made her blush.

"Umm…Actually I can't find where you keep your pants…" She mumbled, blushing harder, noticing that Hans' gaze stopped on her bare legs.

"No, it is alright." Hans smiled, realizing that he was looking at Elsa's bare legs. He turned his gaze away from her, and shook his head, "Dinner is served." Elsa gave him an admiring look and walked near the dining table. "You can cook!" She exclaimed, looking at the foods served on the plate.

"Not much." Hans denied politely, pulling out a chair for her, and help her to sit. He took his seat in a chair opposite to her, and two of them sat facing each other. Elsa took her portion of food, and nibbled it. Hans looked for her reaction worriedly.

"How is it?" He asked.

"You're a really good cook." She gave him an admiring gaze that made Hans smile. She looked extremely beautiful in wet hair sticking to her face, wearing his clothes. A pang of lust stabbed his heart. But her question startled him. "Oh, no. I'm not." He tried to shake away the thoughts. Not too early. Not too early. He chanted to himself.

"It was Anna who taught me how to cook." He lied.

"Oh!" Elsa eyes turned teary with the mention of Anna's name. She wiped her eyes in her sleeve and looked back at him, "You two were very close then. Were you that close to Sofia?"

Hans choked on his beer, but quickly regained his posture. Sofia was surely a sore topic for him. But watching Elsa's keen eyes observing him carefully, he decided to play along. "Actually Sofia never loved me. She was after our family fortune. When she learned I just own a few, she eloped with my brother Henry." He smiled uneasily, wondering why she was asking such questions now.

"Oh!" Elsa's blue eyes softened, she dropped her fork and patted his hand gently. "I am sorry."

Part of Hans really liked Elsa sometimes. Not only she was more beautiful than Anna, but also she was more inquiring and intelligent than her. Hans knew it was harder to convince her than Anna. Anna never questioned about his past, but Elsa was damn curious about them. He knew he had to lie a lot to keep their relationship growing. But for a strange reason he was really enjoying this.

It wasn't that Hans was always mean and sneaky like this. He was like all other boys of his age. But when his father divorced his mother for another woman, and cruelly sent her back to Denmark, he began to lose his faith in a silly notion called love. After Mr. Westergard's death his twelve older brothers cut them off from the little money his father sent for them every month. His mother was so hurt by this that she became a drug addict. Hans went through many bitter experiences for his mother's drug addiction. One of her drug partners turned out to be a gay, and he tried to abuse him sexually. Frightened, sixteen years old Hans ran away from home and spent rest of his night in the streets.

He didn't lose hope, he kept struggling. And then Sofia moved in to Denmark to attend university. They met, and old fire resumed. She apologized for their previous break up, and they started dating again. Hans proposed her. On the engagement party, Hans invited Henry, with whom he was always in touch since the divorce of their parents. He congratulated him on his new life, and became good friends with Sofia. Three of them often had parties, and Henry often accompanied Sofia to shopping and movies. Hans never suspected anything. He was happy to resume his relationship with his brother.

On the day of their wedding, he received a text from Sofia telling him that she was pregnant with Henry's child, and they were getting married soon. She never loved him. She called him a loser. It made him crave  _attention_  more. Not just from her, not just from his brothers, but from everyone. He needed to prove them all wrong, that he was  _worth_ something.

That's why money was so important to him. He knew money could change the world. And the easiest way to become a billionaire overnight was to marry an heiress. And Anna Kingsley, the future heiress of the Kingsley Empire was the perfect goal. He traced her, took advantage of their old relationship, gained her trust, and proposed her.

And then Elsa appeared into the picture, turning all of his calculations upside down…

Even he argued with Sofia about this matter the night before her disappearance. But things didn't go well for her….

Sitting so close to her was making his old infatuations return. But he carefully pushed them aside, and looked straight into her eyes. "But I did love Anna."

Her lips trembled with the cry she was trying to resist. Hans expected her to tear up like morning, but she held her composure. She put down the fork, and crossed her arms over her chest, "Then why are you caring for me so much? You shouldn't you know. It is only spreading rumors. "

Hans swallowed thickly. He knew it was useless to argue. Elsa had a great deal of pride and ego, and argument would force her to gain her confidence no matter how shattered she was. So he decided to play along, with a few modifications to his original plan. He moved closer, and held her arm, "Don't believe them." He said.

"But we shouldn't be together." She persisted, like a disobedient child defying her parent. She wrapped her arms around herself, and rubbed them as if her arms were cold. "They keep blaming me for Anna's death." She whispered as tears began gathering at the corner of her eyes, "Oh, Hans, they are blaming me." Her voice trailed, and her whole body shook with an irresistible cry, "Did I kill her?"

And finally Hans saw her losing her confidence. He scooted closer, and ran a hand through her hair, letting out a slow breath, like he was contemplating telling her some huge secret. Or perhaps he really was debating the question. "You didn't." He whispered to the crying girl, "Her fate killed her. Stop blaming yourself, Elsa."

Elsa never felt so safe, and comfortable in anyone's arms. She wanted to stay like this, wrapped in Hans' arms for the rest of the life. His warmth felt so soothing and comforting. Elsa managed to lift her chin from Hans's chest, but her eyes were still wounded and glazed with sorrow. "You know people call me a bad omen. My presence ruins people's life. I ruined Anna's. I can't ruin your life too."

"I don't care. I don't believe in those superstitions." He lied, spraying his fingers on her cheeks. There was so much heat in his touch that startled Elsa. She jumped nervously when his hand suddenly lifted and cupped her cheek, forcing her to give up her former hesitation about him.

"Look at me," he said in a low; velvety, unfamiliar voice that sent tingles of apprehensive excitement darting up her spine.

Elsa dragged her eyes to his fair face. Although no one had ever attempted to seduce or kiss her before, she took one look at the slumberous expression in his heavy-lidded eyes and  _knew_  something was in the wind. Instantly wary, she demanded without preamble: "What are you thinking?"

His fingers splayed sensuously across her cheek, and he smiled—a slow, lazy smile that made her heart leap into her throat. "I'm thinking about kissing you."

"Why?" Elsa let out a nervous sigh; her eyes were darting everywhere but him.

"Because I remember out first kiss in the airport. I had a crush on you." Hans said softly, lowering his head to kiss her lips suddenly. His mouth slanted over hers with fierce tenderness, while his hand curved around her nape, his fingers stroking her sensitive skin, and as his other arm encircled her waist, moving her tightly to him. Elsa's eyes widened at the suddenness, but before she knew what was happening, she was lost in a sea of pure sensation as his lips tasted and courted hers. She slid her hands up his chest and wrapped her arms around his neck, clinging to him for support, innocently and unconsciously molding her body to his length. The moment she did, the seducer became the seduced: Desire exploded in Hans' body, and he deepened the kiss, his mouth moving with hungry, persuasive insistence on hers, while Elsa clung tighter to him. His hand shifted from her back to her midriff, sliding upward toward her breasts. His firm desire was pressing against her thigh. Whether from fear or desire, Elsa pulled away suddenly; dousing his desire and dragging him reluctantly back to reality. He opened his eyes to see her reaction, but Elsa looked confused.

"What are you thinking?" He whispered, his voice sounded hoarse with intensity. "Is it Anna?"

She shook her head weakly, unsure of the unusual mixture of emotions engulfing her mind. How many times she imagined those lips covering hers. And now when it was finally happening, why was she feeling so confused? She felt a sense of betrayal inside her, as she looked at his lips, slightly parted with the invitation. Anna's presence was mixed with Hans' presence; she couldn't overcome the sense of guilt. "I feel like betraying her…" She whispered, tears gathering at the corner of her eyes, "How can I…"

But she was cut off by Hans' fingers on her lips. "Sushh…" He said, cutting her off, using his best persuading tone, "All my life I searched for happiness…Anna made me happy." Elsa gave him a questioning look, but Hans continued, "And now it is you who can make me happy, Elsa…Anna will be sad if you keep on grieving like this. Do you want to make her soul unhappy?"

The words he spoke, combined with the touch of his fingertips against her cheek, and the deep, compelling timbre of his voice, had the seductive impact that Elsa felt as if she were beginning to melt and float inside. She couldn't pull her gaze from his hypnotic brown eyes; she didn't want to try. Elsa never felt so happy before, never felt so much cared before. Without realizing what she was doing, she raised her shaking fingertips to his hard jaw, touching his cheek as he was touching hers. "If I can make you happy," she whispered achingly, "then so be it."

Hans knew she was convinced. He knew the perfect gestures and tones to convince her. Taking her to his bed was not initially the part of his plan, but tonight lust ruled above everything. A smile of satisfaction crossed Hans' lips as he watched Elsa surrendering to his will. He kissed her forehead, and picked her up in bridal style.

"Are you ready, Elsa?" He whispered in her ears while carrying her to his bedroom.

Elsa hesitated, her magnificent eyes searching deeply into his, and Hans had the uncanny feeling she was looking into the depths of his black soul. What she saw, however, made her say softly, "Yes."

Her words struck some strange chord of intense feeling deep within Hans. With a silent groan he bent his head, his mouth opening on hers with sudden, urgent hunger. This time she answered his passion with her own, her lips parting beneath his without urging, welcoming his tongue into her mouth and then giving him hers, her hands clasping him to her.

Without taking his mouth from hers, Hans laid her in the bed, slowly undoing her shirt, stroking his hand down her arm to her rib cage, then upward, cupping her breasts, caressing her nipples with his thumb. She kissed his temple, his eyes, and his cheek, then she began undoing his clothes too. He nuzzled her neck, chuckling with throaty delight and desire as he touched his tongue to her sensitive ear and felt her press her body closer to his. His tongue plunged into it and she moaned with sweet desire, her nails biting into his arms.

"Do you like it, Elsa?" He whispered, looking in her ice blue eyes.

"I will cry no more." She smiled.

The past flew away along with all the hesitation as she let go the last piece of her clothing. He trailed kisses along her flat stomach, his hands gliding ceaselessly up and down her sides and breasts and hips, and then he finally lifted his head.

Dazed with pleasure and wonder, Elsa gazed into his emerald eyes, sensing instinctively the care he was taking with her, unaware of the practiced expertise he was using to make her body feel as if it were on fire beneath his hands and mouth. All she knew was that she was bursting with pleasure, and that she wanted—needed—to make herself forget all the pains of the past. She opened her doors for him when Hans slowly lowered his sensual lips to hers and whispered, "Kiss me, darling," it was all the invitation Elsa needed.

The perfect girl was gone.

.

.

.

.

Kristoff was in the middle of a date when the doorbell rang.

"Who is it?" His date threw an irritated glance to the door.

Kristoff annoyed too. Grandma was away from home for a while, and there was hardly anyone who would visit him in this ungodly hour of night. So he decided to ignore the bell and tried to smile, "Don't worry. Someone has probably ringed the wrong doorbell."

"Maybe." His date shrugged, and snuggled close to him, running her long fingers along his jaw, "Then where were we?"

They were about to kiss when the doorbell rang again, breaking the magic. "Damn it." Kristoff was terribly annoyed. He pushed away his date from him, and got up from the sofa. He opened the door, and walked downstairs, only to find a small familiar figure standing near the gate. Snow settled on her red hair, giving them a whitish hue here and there. She was arguing with the cab driver. Hearing his footsteps she turned, and Kristoff recognized her immediately- Anna.

Her blue eyes lit up when she saw Kristoff. She brushed away the snowflakes from her hair, and rushed near him. Before Kristoff could even react Anna grasped his wrist, and began dragging him towards the cab. "I knew it is the right address." She declared to the cabbie proudly, "He can't lie to me. This is my fiancé."

"Then your fiancé can pay the fare for you." The cabbie gave her a wry smile, turning his gaze toward Kristoff.

Anna's face fell immediately with the mention of the fare.

"I'm telling him that I've no money." She tilted her head to look at Kristoff, and gave him a pleading look with her puppy eyes, "Do you know where I can find some?"

Kristoff let out an irritated sigh, wondering how Anna found his address and then his remembered that he had left his address at the hospital reception. What a mistake he had made! But there was no time for regret. He gave her an assuring smile, and told the cabbie, "Alright I'll pay for her." He slipped his hand in his pocket and tossed some money to him.

When the cab was gone, Kristoff turned to face the girl with an intention to drive her away from his boundary. Before he could even open his mouth, he found himself trapped in her arms. "Thank you. I was so worried that I couldn't find your address." Anna whispered, wrapping her small arms around him and letting a sigh to escape from her mouth. The contact bought a shudder into his being. Her perfect skin brought warmth to his coldness. He cursed her silently for causing him so much torture and ecstasy at the same time after just a few minutes of encounter.

"It's okay." Kristoff whispered, hesitantly putting an arm around her. She shuddered in his touch. He might have kissed her forehead, if not he was interrupted by a voice from behind.

"Congratulations."

"Kristina!" Startled, Kristoff turned to find his date standing right behind them, watching them with a hurt look in her eyes.

"It seemed you've acquired a fiancée." Her lips turned up in a wry smile as she glanced in Anna's direction. Anna cringed under her glare. Aware of the mixture of shock and dismay that flickered across Anna's normally gentle features, and the erroneous conclusions the other woman had drawn from his gesture, Kristoff decided to tackle his problem head-on. "I can explain,' " he began.

"Who is she?" Anna whispered as Kristoff looked at Anna's face who seemed too much shocked with everything, looking paler than usual. She was probably just released from the hospital, she looked tired and sick. She was in no shape to face the truth.

"Just a friend." he lied. Anna was convinced. He let go Anna's hand and walked near Kristina who was waiting for his explanation. After a distinct pause, during which he struggled to think of some appropriate response to that question, he said, "She is my guest. May be we can discuss it later."

Kristina looked insulted. Her big green eyes were full of tears. "You could tell me earlier, Kristoff." Her voice sounded so hurt.

"Listen..." Kristoff tried to take her hand but Kristina pulled it away, "It is alright." Her voice sounded hoarse, "Congratulations, Kristoff." And then she pushed him aside, put on her coat, walked towards the gate. Kristoff tried to follow her, but she ran, disappearing into the snow covered landscape.

"I'm sorry." Anna walked behind Kristoff, and touched his shoulder. He looked exhausted and angry. She held his hand, and whispered softly, "I'm sorry that your friend misunderstood you for me."

"That is very clever for you." Kristoff pushed her away, and began to walk. Anna was hurt with his coldness, but she understood the reason behind that. He was angry. Oh, boy she had possibly hurt him very badly. She might have broken an old friendship. Possibly Kristoff was having a very good time with his friend. But she might have ruined it. Oh, God what she had done?

A sudden feeling of guilt began to engulf her, as she watched him walking away. She needed to apologize to him properly. She hurt him once, although she couldn't remember how she did that. But she didn't want to hurt him again. So, she followed him.

"I'm sorry." She yelled.

"Go home, Anna." Kristoff said without looking back.

"I can't. I don't even know where my home is."

Kristoff was both annoyed and angry beyond words. Couldn't she just stop stalking him? She had ruined his date. But Anna's situation was worse than his. She had no memory, no home, not a single person who could help her now. She was more helpless than him. So, he stopped, and turned to find her standing in the middle of the snow covered road. She was shivering slightly.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Kristoff asked, walking close to her.

"It's cold," Anna said, covering her bare neck. And for the first time Kristoff noticed what she was wearing. She was clad in a very thin hospital gown, too loose and long for her small frame, and rest of her body was bare. Acquired from an old hospital garments store, he guessed. She didn't even have any money to buy some decent clothes to cover herself.

"Oh," he said and quickly took off his hoodie. He pulled it over her one arm, and pulled it over her other. Then, he pulled the headpiece over her bare head.

"Why you are doing this?" Anna gave him a puzzled look, "You are supposed to be angry with me."

Kristoff balked at the statement but decided that he was going to roll with the punches. "I'm still angry. And you being frozen to death is not decreasing my anger any bit," he cleared his throat, desperately wanting to keep his reluctant host role. "Now follow me."

His sense of humor really amused her, and she decided to follow him to his flat in the second floor. When she entered, a dog, name Sven greeted her.

"Hey," Anna knelt down beside him and scratched his ear. Sven growled happily while Kristoff found some old clothes from his grandmother's closet. Kristoff showed her the bathroom, and handed the clothes to her. "They belong to my grandma." He said, "They may make you to look like an old lady, but don't worry, I'll find some decent clothes for you later. Now change quickly before I finish eating all the foods myself."

 

**Author's Note:**

> Errors are all mine. Please consider them nicely.


End file.
